Sinners
by VampiresAndLiars
Summary: After a century away, Belle Campbell returns to New Orleans with her brother, Max, who's crushing on everyone's favorite newbie vampire, Josh. For most of her immortal life, she and Klaus have been inseparable friends, but tensions build as trusts are broken, secrets are kept and past indiscretions resurface. Not all sins can be forgiven.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I'm only gonna say this once, I don't own The Originals or its characters. I only own the plot of this story and my OCs! Thank you. Enjoy :)**

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Song: The 1975 - _The City_

Bright lights loomed overhead as a young woman walked down the lively streets of the city she had called home many years before, New Orleans.

Her name was Belinda Campbell, though she definitely preferred Belle to Belinda. Her ebony hair blew gently to the side as a cool breeze swept through the streets. She reached up and quickly brushed it out of her face. The sound of her boots clicking against the pavement was all but drowned out by the noise of the people and cars that bustled around her.

She stopped and let her eyes scan her surroundings. This city had changed so much in her absence, but she recognized some familiar buildings. They were old, but she was older. She had been alive for nine hundred years, one of the perks of being a vampire. In all her years, there had never been a city she loved more than this one.

She smiled as she reminisced for a moment, before shaking her head and continuing on. Now was not the time for being nostalgic. Thanks to a tip from a friendly young vampire, she had figured out where to find her oldest and best friend.

Seconds later, she found the bar where she was told he would be, his favorite bar in the entire French Quarter, a little restaurant called Rousseau' opened the door and stepped through the threshold, putting her hands on her hips as her eyes briefly scanned the room. She smirked when she finally spotted him sitting on a stool by the bar. As quietly as she could manage, she headed over to the bar. He must have heard or smelled her because he whipped his head around to face her, a small smirk played at his lips. "I should have known you'd show up here sooner or later." Klaus announced, his stormy blue eyes lit up with amusement.

"I was trying to surprise you," she pouted, taking a seat next to him.

He chuckled. "You should know better than to try to sneak up on a hybrid. I could smell you from the doorway." He took a sip of his drink, bourbon from what she could tell.

"Damn." Dramatically, she hit her fist on the bar, gently of course. If she really hit it hard it would've broken in two more than likely. She noticed the empty seat on his other side. "Drinking alone, are we?" She raised an eyebrow at him and smirked.

He scoffed, picking up his glass and downing its contents. "I was about to leave, actually." He stood up, taking out his wallet. He slapped a hundred-dollar bill down before turning to her. "Come on." He motioned for her to follow him.

"Aye, aye captain," she chuckled, sarcastically saluting him before hopping off the bar stool and following him out the door.

They started down the sidewalk before Klaus spoke. "So, what brings you back to New Orleans?"

Belle turned to look up at him for a second, he stood at nearly six feet tall, while she was a mere five feet at best, before scoffing. "What? I can't come back to see my favorite city and my best friend without a reason?" Her voice was laced with exaggerated skepticism.

"I'm your only friend, actually."

She punched him in the arm. "Jackass!" she snapped, earning a laugh from him.

"It's true." He raised his hands innocently.

She rolled her eyes. "Don't act like I'm not your only friend too."

His mouth quirked into something that resembled a smirk, but lacked the mirth. "Well, I do have Marcel, but we haven't been on the best terms lately." Klaus and Marcel had their differences in the past. Apparently that hadn't changed.

Though she wouldn't dare say it out loud, Belle had always gotten a little jealous when Klaus would choose to spend time with Marcel rather than her. She knew it was childish, but she couldn't help it.

She let out a long sigh. "I just felt like coming back here, it's been ages." She looked around at the lights as they walked.

"Are you going to stay for a while?" he asked, trying to not sound as curious as he really was. It was just like him to act like he didn't care about anything.

She nodded, pushing her petite hands into the pockets of her jeans. "Yeah, I already got an apartment and everything." A small smile stretched across her lips.

He nodded. "Well, you're always welcome to stay, Belle." She smiled wider, not bothering to respond.

They strolled along in silence. She was perfectly at peace, the silence between them was comfortable and familiar. It was strange that they hadn't seen each other in years, but it felt like nothing had changed. That's the thing about old friends.

"So," she started, breaking the silence. "A little birdy told me that you knocked up some werewolf." She tried and failed not to smirk and she watched his reaction eagerly.

He was clearly taken by surprise by the sudden change of conversation. His steady stride slowed, for only a moment, before picking back up. "You heard about that?" He let out a sigh.

She giggled. "Yup. And I don't need or want a little sex-ed lesson," she quickly added. "It's pretty self-explanatory."

He chuckled. "You wouldn't be the first to be surprised." They paused at the end of the sidewalk, waiting for a car to pass before walking across, taking their time. It's not like getting hit by would kill either of them, it just wouldn't exactly be pleasant.

She scoffed. "Man, I wish I could have seen the look on your face when you found out. I bet it was priceless!"

Klaus rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything else about the subject.

They walked a little while longer, until they were in front of Belle's new apartment building. "This is me," she said, slowing her pace to a stop. She looked up to the fourth floor where her room was. "Are you still at the compound?" She turned back to face him.

He nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow Belle. Feel free to stop by." Without another word, they each went their separate ways for the night.

Belle jogged up the stairs until she reached the fourth floor. Instead of getting out her key, she knocked, hoping her younger brother Maxwell, Max, was there. A few seconds after knocking the door squeaked open.

He poked his head through the door. "You're home early. I thought you'd stumble home around three a.m." A chuckle escaped his lips.

She grinned and cocked her head to the side. "Yeah, I thought the same thing about you."

Max wasn't as impulsive as she, but he did like to have fun. For the past few years his hobby had been going to clubs. He had boys over nearly every night; Belle never cared to learn their names since they would come and go so quickly.

She pushed the door open and shoved past her brother. Her eyes scanned the room, checking to see if he was alone. To her surprise, he was.

She turned to Max with raised eyebrows. "You don't have anyone over? I thought you went out."

He scoffed. "I did. I just didn't meet anyone I was interested in." He shrugged his shoulders, closing the door.

Belle kicked off her boots and plopped down on the couch that was still covered with plastic from the move. "I know that voice. You did meet someone, didn't you?" She tauntingly grinned at him. "Come on Max, spill. Who is he?"

He sighed, navigating his way past a few unopened boxes. He leant against the wall and crossed his arms stubbornly over his chest. "I didn't meet anyone. I just...saw someone."

She moved to sit on her knees, eagerly waiting for him to continue. "Go on. What'd he look like? Was he a human or a vampire?" When it came to her brother's business, Belle was always fairly nosey. Then again, she was nosey about pretty much everything.

He rolled his eyes. "A vampire. A young, hot vampire with dark hair and deep brown eyes." His tone was light and whimsical. His lips curved up into a smile. Even his eyes smiled.

Belle grinned wider. It wasn't very often she found her brother to be so infatuated with someone. He wasn't exactly the romantic type. "Why didn't you talk to him?" She shifted her position to crossing her legs.

He shrugged roughly, his demeanor quickly changing. "I don't know. Can we just drop it? I'm going to bed." He turned and stomped off to his room.

Belle huffed. "Well, someone's in a mood."

Instead of going to sleep, she poured herself a glass of scotch and stepped out onto the balcony. It was now just past midnight. She took a long sip from the glass before resting her elbows on the railing and watched as the cars and people passed her by, busy with their own lives.

Sometimes she just enjoyed watching people from afar, wondering about what was going on in their lives. Who had had their heart broken recently? Who had lost a loved one? Who was perfectly happy with their life? Who was living in their personal hell? These were some of the many questions that passed through her mind as she looked out over the city.

New Orleans had in fact changed over the years. She had seen Klaus help to build it from the ground up centuries ago. She had seen generations of people live and die in this city. No matter what, things will always change. Sometimes it's gradual, sometimes it's sudden.

Yes, things were different now. She sighed and took another drink.

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**A.N- Just so everyone knows, this story will not be following the plotline of season 1. To give you guys a rundown, Hayley is still pregnant, Klaus is in charge of New Orleans, but Marcel is still around and helping Klaus with everything. Everyone but Josh is living at the compound (Davina, Marcel, Hayley, and the Originals). I'm not sure if I'll include Cami in this story; if I can find a place for her then I will include her. Basically, everything is pretty normal right now, no crazy witches or anything like that. Pairings will include Hayley/Elijah and possibly Marcel/Rebekah. And of course my OCs will have their pairings. ;)**

**Please let me know what you guys think so far! Leave a review and PM me with any ideas or suggestions. I really enjoy getting feedback and constructive criticism is always welcome. Sorry for the long author's note, I have a habit of making long ones so I'll try to keep them short! Also, I'm going back to school very soon, but I'll still try to update every week.**


	2. Chapter 2

Finally Belle managed to wake up. She pulled herself up into a sitting position, crossing her legs Indian-style at the edge of her bed. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand; it was just past 10:30. As she had been told many times, mostly by Klaus, Belle slept much longer than the usual six or seven hours most other vampires preferred. She couldn't help it, she loved sleep, except when nightmares plagued it.

She groggily got out of bed and grabbed a dark blue tank top and a pair of black skinny jeans from the back of the chair that was in the corner of her room then quickly changed out of her pajamas and threw her hair up into a messy bun, not bothering with the hassle of curling or straightening it.

The tank top showcased the roses she had tattooed on her left shoulder and down her upper arm and with her hair up, her tattoo of the fluer de lis on the back of her neck was visible. She had other tattoos that where currently out of sight; she usually kept them covered.

After flipping on the light in her bathroom, she brushed her teeth and put on a little makeup. Belle normally didn't feel the need to wear a lot of makeup. In her words, she didn't "give a rat's ass" about what anyone thought about her. She didn't live to please others.

She turned out the light and padded over to the door. When she opened it, she was greeted by the unpleasant voice of one of her "frenemies", more enemy than friend, Rebekah Mikaelson, Klaus's annoying younger sister. She groaned as the blonde Original came into view. "What are you doing here, blondie?" she mumbled.

Rebekah sat on the couch with her legs crossed next to Max, who looked almost as annoyed as his sister. She turned her head to glance at Belle, sneering slightly. "Do I need an invitation to visit an old friend?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

Belle scoffed as she walked into the small kitchen area, making a cup of tea. "You do realize you're still not funny Beks, right?" She filled the tea kettle with water and placed it on the stove, turning it up on high.

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "I just wanted to stop by, see how you were." As always, her sarcasm was thinly veiled.

Belle mockingly squealed and slapped her hands over her mouth. "Oh my god, really?!" Her eyes narrowed. She dropped her hands and gave Rebekah an annoyed, and slightly pissed off, glare. "We both know you just love bugging me, almost as much as I love bugging you, cupcake." She grinned at an angry Rebekah, before turning to the tea kettle as it started screaming. Steam shot out of it like it would out of Rebekah's ears if they were in a cartoon. She picked it up and poured the boiling water into a striped mug and dropped in a teabag.

Setting the kettle down, she rummaged through the cabinets below the counter before pulling out her personal supply of vervain oil. She poured the tiny vile into her tea before taking a sip, barely wincing. It only burned her a little, no more than a shot of tequila really. She had been on vervain for nearly all her life. When hanging out with Originals, she couldn't be too careful.

"You're still on vervain." Rebekah mused.

"Yup." Belle sipped her tea. "You can go now. I don't really do small talk." She swatted at Rebekah like she would a fly. She padded over to a chair and sat down, her unwavering glare trained on the blonde Original.

Rebekah rolled her eyes before getting up and heading toward the door. "Your manners haven't changed at all. And I assume you'll be by later." She opened the door and walked out, closing it harder than necessary behind her. She didn't bother to say goodbye either.

"Your manners are no better than mine, bitch," Belle called after her, knowing she would hear.. "God, I still can't stand her," she mumbled into her mug as she took another drink.

Max scoffed in agreement. "Yeah, tell me about it. She still kind of creeps me out." He cringed.

Belle rolled her eyes. "You're such a pansy. Rebekah's no scarier than a clown or a spider." Belle had never been intimidated by anyone really, not in this life at least.

"Clearly you don't know the meaning of scary." He got up and went over to the kitchen. "You want a blood bag?" He opened the fridge and bent down to the bottom shelf, hoisting up a blood bag for her to see.

"Sure." She set down her now empty cup of tea on the coffee table on which her feet were propped. He tossed it to her and without turning around; she caught it with ease. She pulled the cap off the tube and drained it quickly, wanting to finish it so she could leave. She had a busy day planned. She got up and tossed the empty bag in the trashcan as she passed it on the way to her room.

Belle put on a pair of black combat boots that were on the floor by her bed, too lazy to search for another pair of shoes. Then, she picked up her phone from her nightstand and shoved it into her white leather bag before slinging it over her shoulder and walking out. "I'm leaving. Wanna come with me or not?" she asked, now standing by the front door with a hand on the handle.

Max was now lying on the couch, watching a rerun of Supernatural; he had a huge crush on Jared Padalecki. "Nah, I'm good." His eyes never left the screen as he waved his hand at her to leave.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. You do know he's straight, married and has small children, right?" Max had a soft spot for men with dark hair.

"A guy can dream, can't he?"

She scoffed before opening the door and leaving. Each step echoed in the stairwell as her boots clicked again the concrete stairs.

When she got outside, she was greeted by the warm midday sunlight and the usual sticky humidity that clung to the southern air. She pulled out a pair of black cat eye sunglasses from her bag and slipped them on.

The city was wide awake and the streets bustled with life, as usual. As she walked down the sidewalk, her phone started ringing. She pulled it out of her purse and, to her delight, saw Klaus's name on the screen. She answered, putting the phone up to her ear with ease. "Hey Nik! What's up, buttercup?" She only called him Nik when it was just them talking, never around anyone else.

Klaus let out a throaty chuckle. "Would you be interested in joining Marcel and me for drinks?"

She laughed under her breath. "Getting drunk before noon? Honey, you know that's what I live for. Same place as last night?" Her eyes scanned the road before she crossed it with a mass of people, all bustling about like a herd of sheep.

"Yes."

"Great. I'll be there soon," she replied before hanging up. She put the phone back in her bag and turned down the street to the bar.

A few minutes later, after pushing her way through the traffic, she walked through the door at Rousseau's.

She spotted Klaus and Marcel sitting along the bar with a few other day drunks and reluctantly took a seat by Marcel since the one by Klaus was occupied by large, sad man who had at least five empty beer bottles in front of him.

"Good morning gents." She swiveled around the face them and rested her elbows on the bar.

"When did you get back in town?" Marcel asked, looking over at her while taking a drink of his scotch.

"Last night."

A blonde bartender walked over to them. Her name was Camille, according to her name tag. "What can I get you?" she asked, setting aside the rag she was using to wipe down the bar.

"Whiskey, neat." Belle propped her elbows up so she could rest her chin in her hands. She smiled in what most people would assume was a polite way, but it looked a lot more menacing when you were on the receiving end.

The bartender gave her a small smile in return, not looking as terrified or skeptical as a lot of humans did in the old vampire's presence. She filled up a glass and set it down in front of her.

"Thanks, Camille." She tried not to chuckle at the girl's name. It was pretty old school.

The bartender chuckled. "Cami, actually. Camille's more of an old woman's name." She shook her head dismissively.

Belle scoffed. "Don't worry. I say the same thing about my name."

Cami raised an eyebrow at her. "What is your name? If you don't mind me asking."

She smirked. "Please. You just met me. You'll have to earn it," Belle said slyly, taking a sip of her whiskey.

"It's Belinda." Marcel rolled his eyes.

Belle punched him in the arm, not hard enough to knock him down like she wanted to, but hard enough that it would hurt. He winced as they exchanged annoyed glares. "Belle."

Klaus cleared his throat. "Will you two ever stop bickering?" His annoyance was all too obvious.

"Does a bear shit in the woods? Both are stupid and obvious questions." If it were just them, Klaus probably would've laughed, but since they weren't he just rolled his eyes.

He had always been like that, rigid. She was one of the few people he ever let in to see his fun, carefree side. Well, what was left of it. A thousand years of hurt and misery had morphed him into someone completely different than the man she had met all those years ago. Then again, she wasn't the same either.

Belle glanced over at Cami, who seemed to just notice the large lapis ring on Belle's right middle finger, her daylight ring. A look of recognition and realization filled her eyes. "Oh. You're a,"

"Vampire?" Belle whispered, leaning in a bit for dramatic effect. She was a lot of things, and melodramatic was definitely one of them. Cami nodded. "So, you're in on the loop? Fantastic." She huffed.

There were several seconds of tense, awkward silence. "Well this has been fun, but we have some things to do, right?" Marcel turned to Klaus.

"Yes. Well, I do," Klaus said, smirking. "You're just tagging along." He took every chance he got to put other people down in what he saw was their place: below him.

Marcel growled under his breath, about to shoot something back. Belle stopped him. "Hey, how about I tag along with you. Three's company, right?" She pulled $10 from her purse and put it on the bar, finished her drink and got up. "Let's go."

The two men exchanged slightly heated looks before listening. The paid for their drinks, got up and walked out. Belle trotted off after them.

A small part of her, the more childish one, was actually sort of relieved that things were once again tense between Klaus and Marcel. In her eyes, it meant that Klaus would spend more time with her. She refused to admit to herself why spending time with Klaus was so important to her. She just couldn't.

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**A.N.- Sorry this was sort of uneventful. Next chapter will get into a little action. Plus I'm thinking about including a flashback ;) Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A.N.- I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for taking a little while to get this up. I haven't gotten as many reviews as I would've liked and it's pretty discouraging, I have gotten plenty of follows and faves though. Anyway, it would mean so much if anyone who's reading this would please post a nice review if you liked this chapter or have any questions. I'm open to ideas and constructive criticism, so please tell me if you have any! Please review and I hope you guys enjoy :) Oh, btw Josh has a daylight ring (to avoid confusion)**

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They took Klaus's car down to the docks, apparently there was something there that needed to be dealt with. Belle couldn't really care less, but she went anyway. It's not like she had anything better to do.

As they walked down the boardwalk she looked out at the boats along the harbor, not listening to the words that Marcel and Klaus were exchanging. She was pulled into the memory of when she had first arrived in New Orleans over 300 years earlier.

_1712 - New Orleans_

_Belle had received several letters from Klaus, going on and on about this colony he was helping to build. He encouraged her to visit as soon as she could. Finally, she gave in. She was stubborn and hardheaded at times, but she could never say no to him._

_A large wooden ship dropped its anchor at the docks, it's sail swaying gently in the wind. Belle stepped out on the deck, looking out at the land._

_Her eyes moved to search the docks for her friend. She smiled as she spotted Klaus standing with his hands behind his back, awaiting her arrival._

_She had arrived alone, apart from two men she had compelled to steer and control the boat. There had been other passengers with her when they had first set sail, but they hadn't exactly lived to complete the journey, after all, she needed to feed. Their bodies were piled up in the storage space of the ship along with her belongings._

_When she got off the ship, it took everything in her to not run into his arms and hug him. She knew Klaus wasn't a fan of public displays of affection anyway. They hadn't spoken face to face for five years and though she wouldn't say it out loud, she missed him. So, she walked carefully over to him, the small smile on her lips was mirrored on his. "It has been a while since I saw you last." It was an obvious thing to say, but she was at a loss for other words._

_He chuckled, taking a step toward her with his hands still behind his back. "So it has."_

_She stopped, now just a few feet away from him. She took in a deep breath and looked around, taking in her new surroundings. "So, this is the infamous New Orleans."_

_He nodded. "There's still much that needs to be done." He turned around and gestured for her to join him, extending his arm to her._

_She stepped forward and took it, looping her arm through his. They walked in perfect synchronization down the boardwalk and headed toward the newly forming city._

_Belle looked around in awe at the work that had been done so far. Several buildings had already been built and many others were in construction. "This is wonderful, Nik." A wide smile graced her lips. She looked up at Klaus who too was smiling. It had been a while since she had seen him like this, proud and happy._

_*Present*_

Now when she looked over to Klaus, his expression was stern, he lips were pressed together in a hard line and his eyes had a subtle furry burning in the back of them. She missed seeing the kinder side of him.

"So, what exactly are we here for?" she asked, breaking the tense silence between the three of them.

Keeping his gaze straight ahead Klaus replied, "One of my men was killed last night while he was patrolling."

"So we're here to investigate?" She strode ahead a little more so she could keep up with them.

"Essentially, yes." His eyes flickered to hers for a moment.

"Killing another vampire in the quarter is forbidden, it's one of our most important rules," Marcel added.

Belle rose an eyebrow in question. "And what makes you so sure another vampire killed him?"

They rounded a corner around one of the large metal storage containers and the victim came into their view. He lay, one of his legs bent at an odd angle and his heart torn from his chest, just a foot or two away from his gray, dessicated corpse.

"Ahhh." Her voice was blunt as she eyed the body.

Marcel bent down to examine the body.

A young vampire with dark hair and brown eyes walked over to talk to Klaus. Not only was he young physically, but Belle could tell by his caution and fear around Klaus that he wasn't very old vampire-wise. Then again, even some older vampires were afraid of Klaus.

"Joshua, I hope you've brought me some good news." Klaus gave the boy an intimidating glare.

"Well, we don't have any leads yet. But don't worry, I'm working on it," he replied apprehensively, trying to stop his voice from shaking.

Belle couldn't help but grin at his awkwardness. He seemed like a nice kid. She guessed that Klaus had been a little rough with him, so she stepped in to try to smooth things over.

"Hello, I'm Belle," she greeted with a friendly smile. She stuck her hand out to him. "Nice to meet you."

He smiled back and cautiously shook her hand. "Nice to meet you too. I've never seen you here before."

"I just moved back." She slipped her thumbs into the pockets of her jeans.

He nodded. "Oh, cool." His mouth quirked awkwardly.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I believe you have work to attend to," Klaus interjected.

"Uh, yeah. Right. See ya later." He walked away hastily, avoiding their eyes.

"Hey Josh," Marcel called. Josh turned to him. "Stop by the compound later if you find anything, okay?"

Josh nodded. "Sure thing." He turned around and walked quickly back to his car and drove away.

"Nice kid," Belle mused, turning back to the matter at hand: the dead vampire. After seeing so many over the years, it had lost its appeal. Dead is dead, what's so intriguing about it? She sighed heavily. "I'm bored."

"Oh, by all means don't let us ruin your day. Please, feel free to leave if you're displeased. You are the one who invited yourself after all." To most people it would've sound like he was being mean, but she knew he meant it in more of a playful, friendly way.

She waved her hand in his direction. "Don't be an ass. And yes, I think I will leave. I'll probably stop by the compound later." She turned to Marcel and grinned. "See you later, muffin," she taunted, laughing at his annoyed expression.

He rolled his eyes. "Just go, Belle."

She chuckled before turning and walking away from the docks. It wouldn't take her very long to get back into town. Maybe she'd stop by that little bar again, or maybe just look around. There were so many new things in New Orleans, mostly tourist attractions.

She strolled down the street and decided to stop by a bar where the town's nightwalkers hung out during the day. She was hoping the find someone there, someone who could help her.

The windows of the bar were boarded up, blocking out the sun's rays that could burn them to ashes. Belle was thankful she didn't have to live like that, always hiding from something as simple as sunlight. The room was lit with dull, low hanging lamps and some twangy country music played in the background.

She walked over to the bar, took a seat and ordered a glass of vodka. She took a sip of her drink and turned the man sitting next to her. He was blonde and wore a golf cap. "You wouldn't happen to know where I could find a vampire by the name of Samuel Rivers, would you?" she asked, not bothering to introduce herself.

He took a sip of his beer and turned to her. "Who wants to know?" He set down the bottle and looked her up and down suspiciously.

She rolled her eyes. "Someone who's old enough to easily remove your head from your shoulders." She took a sip of her drink and locked eyes with him.

He seemed slightly alarmed, but didn't give in. "Why do you want to know?"

She shrugged. "Old friend. I just wanna say hi."

He narrowed his eyes, not convinced, but not caring enough to question her further. "He's over there by the pool table." He pointed to a tall man with dirty blonde hair, tanned skin and green eyes.

She nodded. "Thanks." She downed what was left of her drink and strode over to the man.

He didn't look up as she approached him.

"Are you Samuel?" She put on her best sweet and innocent voice.

He glanced up from his game. "I might be. Who the hell are you?"

She rolled her eyes, her lips turning into a frown. "You're in no position to be asking questions, that'll be my job."

He stood up straight, towering over her. It didn't bother her, she was much more frightening. "What's that supposed to mean? Is that some kind of threat, princess?" He narrowed his eyes.

She grabbed his arm tightly, feeling the bones crack under her grip. He cringed. She pulled him down and looked him straight in the eyes. "We can do this the easy way, or I can kick your ass. It's up to you."

Despite her intentions being perfectly clear and frankly unfavorable, Samuel wriggled out of her grip. "You're crazy, lady." He turned around and went out the back entrance.

"So I've been told," she muttered to herself. She flashed after him out the door and came up behind him.

He heard her and turned around, but before he could say or do anything, she snapped his neck. He dropped and smacked the ground with a distinct thud. "I guess I'll have to kick your ass then."


	4. Chapter 4

**A.N.- Please review and enjoy :)**

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Belle had shoved Samuel into the trunk of her car and went out to an abandoned building just outside the city limits. She had him tied up to a metal chair and injected him with enough vervain to keep him from attempting to break away.

For over an hour she tourtured him, burning him with vervain, slicing into his skin with knives over and over again before he could heal. She pulled out several tricks from her hat of torturing expertise that she learned over the years, mostly from Klaus, and yet he said nothing.

She took the knife in her hand and dug it into his side, twisting it as he screamed out in agony. "You ready to talk yet? Where is she?" She pulled out the knife and grabbed his hair, forcing him to look into her eyes. "Where is Charlotte?" There was a fire burning in the back of her eyes: determination.

He opened his mouth, his bloodied lips trembling. "Go to hell," he whispered.

She backed off, smirking. "You know, you're as stubborn as I am. I admire that, I really do." She walked over to a silver tray that was filled with various weapons and picked up a vile of vervain oil and an eye dropper. She stuck the tube into the bottle and filled it, careful not to get any on her skin.

Her boots clunked against the concrete floor, echoing throughout the space as she approached her victim once again. She titled his head back and emptied the dropper into one of his eyes. He screamed as it burned him. "Stop it, please!"

"I'll stop when you tell me where she is."

He hung his head before whispering. "I've said it once and I'll say it again. I don't know. I haven't had any direct contact with Charlotte in years." His sweaty hair hung down over his eyes and he looked up at her.

She stared back at him with cold eyes. "And why would that be?" She knelt down in front of him on one knee so she could look him in the eyes.

"She's been laying low for a while, probably trying to stay away from psychos like you." He glared into Belle's icy blue eyes.

She grinned at him, chuckling emotionless under her breath. Her expression hardened after a few seconds. "If she's trying to 'lay low' then why was I told that she was here in New Orleans, huh? Maybe another one of her little pawns blabbed. Or, on the other hand, maybe they were lying. Is she here, or isn't she?" Her voice was low and sinister, intimidating.

He saw the threat in her eyes, what she was willing to do. "Kill me. She'll do it anyways if I tell you, so go ahead and get it over with."

She saw the undeniable look of fear and defeat in his eyes, and she pitied him. She let out a sigh and stood up straight. "I'm not going to kill you, I'll leave that to her." She took a few steps back, pacing back a forth, debating what to do next. After a few seconds she flashed back in front of him. "Now answer the damn question. Where is she?"

He flinched, caught off guard, and averted his eyes. "She's here." It was almost impossible to hear. His lips barely moved to form the words that would surely nail the lid on his coffin.

"Good. That wasn't too hard, was it." She went behind the chair and untied the ropes that were soaked in vervain, they burned her fingers as she did so. "I'm guessing that you won't tell me anything else, so I think we're done here. And I'm sure you won't tell anyone about this little incident since you'll no doubt be dead by tomorrow." She flinched as she finished undoing the final knot, and the rope fell to the floor. She undid the ropes that were binding his feet next.

"Thanks for the concern," he mumbled, rubbing his raw, burnt wrists.

"Don't mention it." After quickly gathering her supplies into a black duffel bag, she turned back to Samuel who was still slumped over in the chair, too weak to stand. "Well, this is where I leave you." She smiled. It was the kind of smile that seemed to say, _"If I see you again, I'll rip your fucking heart out."_ And with that, she flashed out to her car, thew the bag in the trunk and drove away.

As she drove back into the city, her phone rang from her bag. She reached over and grabbed it from the passenger's seat and checked who was calling, it was Klaus. She let out a groan before answering it. "Hey Nik."

"I was just wondering if you were planning on coming by the compound. You did say you'd stop by earlier, didn't you?" he asked.

She mentally kicked herself. "Uh, yeah. I'll be over shortly. I'm glad you reminded me, I forgot. God, I hope I'm not turning into ditsy little Rebekah." She decided to play off her tardiness as just being forgetful instead of admitting that she had been preoccupied. No doubt Klaus would be unhappy with her torturing the innocent vampires of his city.

She told herself that she wasn't technically lying go him, she just wasn't sharing the whole truth. That wasn't as bad, right? Her gut told her that it was, but she ignored it. She still felt guilty.

He chuckled on the other line. "Don't worry, I'll tell you if you start acting like Rebekah. Do you want me to let her know what you said?"

"Oh, please do. I love it when she gets mad. It just gives me a reason to kick her ass." She laughed forcibly, distracting herself from the guilt.

"Sure, sure. I'll see you soon." He hung up up abruptly.

Belle let out a long sigh. "Niklaus, your manners are, as always, without equal." She chuckled, remembering all the times she heard Elijah say those same words to Klaus.

One of the many things she had always loved about the Mikaelsons was how they almost constantly bickered. It reminded her of how she and Max acted, only their bickering had never led to one of them being daggered and stuffed in a coffin for years.

As she drove toward the compound, she cranked up the radio so loud she was sure the people walking by could hear it. It was a way for her to block out her thoughts when they got too loud, and right now they were definitely screaming.

She pulled up to her old home; it hadn't changed a bit. The compound had been her only longterm home since she had been human. Living with the Mikaelsons had always meant having to move around when Mikael caught up with them. She was thankful they wouldn't have that problem anymore now that he was gone.

Belle had only lived on her own a handful of times. She just didn't like being alone, one of the things she and Klaus shared.

Before she got out of the car, Belle checked herself in the rearview mirror. Torture typically did a number on her. Thankfully, the only thing out of sorts was a spot of blood that had spattered on her forehead. So, she licked her thumb and wiped it away. She then snatched her phone from her purse and headed inside.

Just as she entered the front door, she was greeted by an all too familiar face. "Elijah," she said, a small grin on her lips. "How nice to see you." She took a few steps closer to him, now just a few yards away. They hadn't seen one another for decades.

Elijah was leaning against a wall, arms crossed over his chest. "Belinda, it's a pleasure to see you again." His expression was virtually blank. They had never exactly been close, probably because she loved to push his buttons and he quickly grew tired of it.

She looked him over from head to toe. "I should've guessed you'd be one of those suit-wearing monkeys. You've always been pretty white bread."

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I don't suppose you stopped by to mock me, now did you." He glanced over his shoulder for a moment. A women's voice rang from the other room, one that Belle didn't recognize.

She smirked, curious. "Of course not." Her eyes shifted to the place from which the voice came.

She briskly crossed the floor past Elijah, purposely bumping into him as she started into the room. It was the compound's living room, again just the same as she remembered, aside from a few new items of furniture.

Lying on the couch on her side, legs hanging over the edge a little, was a woman not much older than twenty with chocolate brown hair and matching eyes. Belle noticed that she had a small baby bump as well.

She smirked, not trying to be rude. It was more of an involuntary response. "So, you must be Klaus's werewolf baby momma." Belle said, a hint of zeal ringing in her voice.

The woman's eyebrows furrowed in both annoyance and confusion. "Hayley," she corrected in a stern tone. "Who the hell are you?"

Belle chuckled, shaking her head. Hayley certainly had spunk, which Belle liked. It reminded her of herself. "Belle. I'm an old family friend." She stepped farther into the room, Elijah right on her heels.

She noticed the dark haired boy from the docks, Josh, sitting on a couch on the other side of the room with a young girl, no doubt still a teenager. She too had dark hair and blue eyes.

"And you are?" Belle asked the girl.

"Davina," she replied, a little uncomfortably. Belle had a tendency to come on too strong.

Klaus' voice boomed from the hallway. "I assume you're through terrorizing everyone." He walked into the room and tossed Belle a partly annoyed, partly amused look.

She sarcastically stuck out her bottom lip. "I'm not terrorizing anyone. I'm being absolutely peachy." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well then, make yourself at home. I believe Elijah and I have things to do." Klaus turned to Elijah.

She raised an eyebrow. "More things about the dead guy at the docks?"

He nodded. Without another word, he turned around and headed back toward the front door, gesturing for Elijah to follow "Try to behave yourself," he called, his voice echoing from the other room.

Belle rolled her eyes. "Dick." She tried to hide a smile. He had always been a flirt, something that she both loved and loathed equally.

Ignoring everyone's amused looks, she proceeded to make awkward small talk with three strangers, which was mostly just her telling them embarrassing stories or laughing at her own jokes. She wasn't exactly a people person, which explained why most people considered her to be a social pariah and why her only friend was one of the most feared and hated supernatural beings on the planet.

Surprisingly, she and Hayley got along quite nicely and had a lot of things in common. It had been a while since Belle had met someone who was a little more like her. Josh and Davina chimed in every once and a while, but for the most part they had their own conversations.

The sun was setting when Max arrived, walking abruptly into the room. "Come on Belle, we still have a lot of shit to unpack at home."

Belle groaned into the drink in her hand as she took a sip of it. "Fine." She set her drink on the coffee table and sat up straight. "Since when do you call the shots?" She stood up and stretching slightly.

Max's eyes wandered away from his older sister to the other side of the room where they met with Josh's. His face blushed bright red and he averted his eyes, turning away and running a hand over his face.

Belle noticed the exchange and grinned widely. "Oh my god, is that," she started, looking from one boy to the other, one hand over her gaping mouth. "Max, is this the cute guy you saw?"

Max continued to avoid her eyes.

Josh spoke up. "I'm sorry, umm, are you talking about me?" His cheeks turned bright crimson.

Belle nodded. "Aww, that's adorable. My baby brother has,"

"Come on, let's go!" Max kept his eyes locked on the floor.

She laughed at his embarrassment. "Fine. Let's go, lover boy." She grinned at him. She put on a straight face and crossed the room, turning at the entryway to say goodbye. "See you guys later."

They waved halfheartedly. "Bye."

She and Max turned around and walked out. At the front door, they met Klaus and Elijah. While Elijah went past them, Klaus lingered by the door.

"Go on Max, I'll be there in a little bit." She motioned for him to go ahead.

He hesitated, but nodded anyway and walked outside to his car, pushing carefully past Klaus. They had never really gotten on well.

"So, how's your evening been?" She shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

Klaus shrugged. "Nothing too interesting, I can assure you. How was yours?

She shrugged, mimicking him. "It was okay. Hayley's a doll." She forced a small smile.

Klaus snorted. "Sure."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm gonna go. Goodnight, Nik." She looked away and walked past him.

He grabbed her by the arm as she walked by. "Belle,"

Her heart skipped a beat and she bit her bottom lip, wondering what he wanted.

She turned around to face him, clearing her throat. "Yes?"

He held her gaze for a few seconds before finally speaking. "There's blood on your shirt." His voice was low, tantalizing even. His fingers grazed the hem of her top, sending a shiver up her spine.

She hesitated for a second, trying to play it off with a clever and convincing explanation. "Whoops, I had a bite earlier. Guess I got a little messy." She shook her head and scoffed at herself. She never broke away from his gaze, trying to be convincing. "Don't worry, it was a tourist, not a local. I know the rules."

Klaus raised an eyebrow at her, seeming to wait for her to falter, but she didn't. He exhaled and nodded, believing her fib to be true. He trusted her. "Good. I'll see you tomorrow, then." He released her from his grasp and she walked off to her car.

She mentally kicked herself for the second time that day. How could she be so careless? She should've checked her clothes for blood before had she come.

She was thankful he believed her. Belle hated keeping this from Klaus, but she knew that if he did know, he would stop her. Not just because it was in his city, but because he looked out for her. But, she could take care of herself. It was her problem, not his. She only hoped that he wouldn't catch onto her trail. Klaus hated being lied to, everyone knew that.

She knew that she had to be more careful in the future. Things couldn't get screwed up, not now. She was so close to finally getting one of the few things she had wanted for the past nine hundred years, revenge.


	5. Chapter 5

**A.N.- Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites so far! It means a lot. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Please review :)**

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Song: Mumford and Sons - _Where Are You Now_

Belle walked among the roaring nightlife of New York City; the year was 1922. She stopped off in a hidden bar called McConnell's, going in through the back door. Prohibition was still going strong, so bars were hard to come by.

Smooth jazz music could be heard from the doorway, echoing as she walked down a short hallway to the main room.

At the front of the room next to the bar was a stage where a band was playing live music. Some people were around the stage, dancing and laughing in a drunken bliss. Others sat in booths, talking among themselves and drinking. In one of those booths, with a small group of men she didn't recognize, was Klaus.

She smiled and walked over with her head held high. Klaus looked up at her as she walked over; his lips curled up into a grin as their eyes met. "Belle, how nice to see you."

"You too, Nik," she replied, smiling even wider.

Before the memory could continue, Belle awoke to someone shaking her arm. She groaned loudly, shoving the person's hand away before pulling the comforter over her head. "Go away," she mumbled.

"Sorry to wake you, but we need to talk." Max's serious tone grabbed her attention.

She pulled her fluffy shield down low enough to reveal her eyes. She eyed him suspiciously. "About?" What did he want to talk about? What did he know?

He sat down at the foot of the bed and rested his hands in his lap, twiddling his thumbs anxiously. "So, I finally went and saw Josh. I got his address from Marcel a few days ago, but I couldn't bring myself to go." He sighed and turned to his big sister for any sign of approval.

She put down the comforter and sat up. She raised and eyebrow at him. "Wait, this is what you woke me up for? You finally decided to grow a pair and you just thought I should know?" She rolled her eyes and ran a hand through her tangled curls.

He winced at her words like they were daggers that had stabbed him. "I just wanted to let you know." His eyes shifted from her eyes to the floor.

She sighed, scooting closer to him. "Max, I'm sorry. You know how grumpy I am in the mornings."

He snorted. "Yeah, especially When you're hungover," he muttered, smirking as he side-glanced at her.

She punched him in the arm, glaring. "Not the point." She rolled her eyes. "The point is that I'm your big sister and I care about your problems. I may not want to listen to them, but I still care." She put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Now, continue."

Max smiled and exhaled before continuing. "Well, I went over there last night and -"

Belle cut him off, "Let me guess, you two did the dance with no pants?" She laughed under her breath; she always teased him about his man-whore tendencies as she so lovingly called them.

He gave her a death glare. "No, actually we didn't." He said it as though it were obvious, which, in her mind, it wasn't at all. He was a player.

She raised a questioning brow at him. "Really? Wow. Color me impressed. So, what did you do then?"

He shrugged. "Nothing. We just talked." He sounded a little surprised himself. "It was nice." For once in years Max sounded genuinely happy, a little lovestruck even.

She smiled at him, throwing her arms around him and pulling him into a tight hug, pinning his arms to his side. "Awww, Maxy," she squealed, rocking him back and forth as he sat awkwardly.

He struggled in her firm grasp. "Stop, Belle, Christ. It's not that big a deal." He finally managed to push her away.

"Fine, whatever," she relented, her arms fell to her sides. "Can you get out? I have to get dressed." She stood up and walked over her closet.

"Sure." Max stood and walked out.

As she stood in front of the open closet, thumbing through the rack of clothes, her mind started to wander.

It had been nearly a week since she and Klaus had had a moment, one where she had looked into his eyes and saw the brief flicker of longing burning in the backs of them, no doubt it had been mirrored in hers as well. Ever since then, thoughts she had forced herself to ignore came rushing up to the surface. He not only took over her thoughts, but also her dreams; it was maddening.

She shook her head and finished picking out her clothes.

Once she had gotten ready, she took her dose of vervain and went out.

As soon as she arrived at the Mikaelson's, she was met by Klaus and Marcel. "Hey. Where are you guys going?"

"Why? You'll just get bored," Marcel snapped, going around her and walking out.

Belle turned to Klaus, raising her eyebrows. "Damn. What's his problem?" She resisted the urge to giggle. She always enjoyed the misfortune of people she didn't like.

Klaus shrugged. "Perhaps he's fed up with the responsibilities of helping me run the city." There was a hint of amusement and derision in his voice. He smirked.

"I doubt that." She snorted. He rolled his eyes at her before walking past her, motioning for her to follow. She quickly trotted after him, trying to match his long strides. "Where are we going?"

"To a meeting at St. Anne's churc." Klaus keept his eyes locked if front of him as they walked down the street. She could see Marcel in the distance, about a hundred yards away. He strutted down the street without looking back to check if they were following, though of course he knew they were.

"With the human faction?" she asked as they rounded a corner.

"Yes." He nodded.

"I'm guessing it's still the same crowd, corrupt politicians and greedy middle-aged jackasses."

"Did you really expect it to change now?" He let out a throaty chuckle, glancing over at her for a second.

As soon as they arrived before it, Belle recognized the church immediately. It had been a few years before she had left New Orleans. Only a few minor details had changed in that time.

Klaus held the door open for her as she walked up the last step. She walked in and he followed, going around her with a hint of urgency. When they entered the room, she saw Marcel just now taking a seat.

The room was eerily quiet until a man in priests robes stood up and started talking. "You're late." he boomed, folding his hands in front of himself as he walked over to stand behind the podium.

"On the contrary Father Kieran, I believe I'm right on time," Klaus snapped, a little annoyed no doubt.

One of the other humans gave Belle a dirty look as she took a seat in the front row on the other side of Marcel. "Who is she?" he asked gravelly.

She scoffed. "I see the men around here still lack proper manners." she muttered, rolling her eyes. "But, to be polite I'll give a quick introduction. I'm Belle. I'm an old ass vampire and a former resident of this city." Her voice was light, but dangerous.

Klaus cleared his throat. "Moving on to the point of this meeting, I believe I was told that two locals have perished in the past week."

"Yeah, killed by your filthy kind," one of the men snapped, jabbing his chubby finger in Klaus's direction.

Belle snorted loudly. Everyone turned toward her with condescending stares. "You've got to be kidding me." she exclaimed. Her head fell into her hands as she started laughing. "I remember a time where if a human even dared to speak to a vampire like that they'd get their throat ripped out."

Marcel stopped her. "But no one's gonna do that right now." he urged, tossing her a cautioning glare.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm sorry Marcellus, but last time I checked you weren't the boss of me." she snapped. She resisted the urge to hit him knowing that it would only lead to a fight.

"Enough!" Klaus roared, glaring daggers at the pair of them.

"Thank you." Kieran said calmly. "Now, there are in fact two locals that have been murdered by vampires this week and not only that, but two vampires have turned up dead as well."

Belle's stomach dropped. She prayed that the other vampire that had died wasn't Samuel. That would make her look bad and she didn't know who would start pointing fingers at her. She attempted to look calm as Klaus spoke.

"It appears we have a serial killer on our hands, a vampire at that. We're making efforts to stop them, but so far we don't have any leads."

"But we're working on it. We've got eyes all over town right now." Marcel added.

That made Belle even more worried. She knew she'd need to question other people around town before she could find Charlotte. She didn't want any of Marcel and Klaus's little spies hearing about her plans.

If Klaus found out there'd be no way he'd let her continue, not to mention how angry he'd be with her having lied to him. His trust was hard to earn and easily broken and ever since she had earned it far she managed not to break it broken it.

"Speaking of, Thierry told me something very interesting earlier." Marcel started, smirking at Belle. "He said you went down to vamp bar downtown, asking him if he could help you find someone named Samuel Rivers. And then Samuel turns up dead just a few days later. Any thoughts about that?" he asked in a raucous and accusing tone.

She glared at him. "Are you accusing me?" she demanded, trying not to growl at him.

"Marcel, now is not the time to make accusations. We'll discuss this later." Klaus urged. He folded his hands behind his back and leaned sideways against one of the pews. "If there is nothing else we need to talk about we'll be going."

Belle quietly exhaled in relief. As usual, Klaus had come to her aid.

Kieran nodded. "That's all that concerns the vampire faction I believe." he said.

"Excellent. Well, we'll hold another meeting next week. Same place, same time." Klaus announced before turning around and heading for the exit. Belle and Marcell followed him.

Once they were outside, Marcel spoke. "I've gotta meet some of the guys back at Rousseau's. I'll see you back at the compound." he turned in the other direction and shuffled past the crowd down the street.

Klaus and Belle turned down the street back to the compound. They walked in a stiff silence. She wondered if Klaus was thinking about what Marcel had said back at the church, practically accusing her.

Granted, she had tortured Samuel and lied about it, but she hadn't been the one to kill him and she hadn't killed the others either. She hoped with all her being that Klaus wouldn't be so easily swayed to believe Marcel. He knew her better than that.

They went back to the compound and luckily didn't talk about it any further. She and Klaus sat in the living room drinking and talking for over an hour before he got a call and left.

For a few minutes she sat alone with her thoughts and a bottle of Bourbon until Hayley walked by. Curiously, Belle called to her. "Hey, Hayley?"

Hayley turned to her with confused eyes. "Yes?" she asked, seeming a little unsure of what Belle wanted.

She hesitated before speaking, her was voice soft. "Do you know what it is? The baby I mean?"

Hayley chuckled. "Do you mean species or boy or girl?" She leant against the doorframe and placed a careful hand over her growing baby bump.

"Boy or girl."

Hayley smiled. "Uh, a girl, I think. I don't know for sure, but I feel like it'll be a girl." she said. Belle could hear in her voice how much Hayley already loved her baby.

A small smile tugged at the corners of Belle's lips. "That's good. You should hope it's a girl. They're a lot better to deal with, not as rowdy as boys are." Her voice was brittle, like she was tearing up. She chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

There was an unmistakable look of pain in the backs of her eyes, a look that showed more than any words could ever explain.

Hayley must have noticed this look, realizing what it's true meaning was. "What was her name?" She shifted uncomfortably, seeming uncertain and wary. "If you don't mind me asking," she added. Her voice had a similar fragility in it.

Belle stayed quiet for a few seconds, debating whether or not she should answer. Finally, her voice broke the silence. "Lilith." She smiled a little as tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, she wiped them away before they fell, not comfortable enough to cry in front of Hayley. She rarely cried in front of anyone, period.

Hayley smiled sympathetically. "That's beautiful."

"So was she." Her voice was just a whisper now. After a few seconds she cleared her throat and fanned her eyes, laughing to avoid bursting into tears. "Well, I'm gonna go. It was nice seeing you, Hayley." she said suddenly as she stood up and headed for the front door, abandoning her unfinished drink on the coffee table.


	6. Chapter 6

**A.N. I'm so happy with the number of views and follows/favs I've been getting lately! I'm taking that as a good sign. Please keep up the support and be sure to leave a review. *fingers crossed***

**Enjoy :) I worked really hard on this chapter!**

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Song: Lana Del Rey - _Dark Paradise_

The compound was a buzz when Belle arrived just after eleven o'clock in the late morning. Humans bustled about as they moved out the furniture from the courtyard and replaced it with decor, flowers and other festivities.

Klaus descended from the stairs to greet her, giving the crew a once-over, seeming to mentally note their progress in his typically controlling, bossy fashion.

She cocked an eyebrow. "Sprucing up the place a little are we? Let me guess, you're having one of the infamous Mikaelson family parties." She smirked as he rolled his eyes.

"It's more of an effort to bring the French Quarter's supernatural community together," he retorted.

Belle scoffed. "Yes, nothing brings a group of people together more than booze and polite chitchat." She moved past him, heading into the house.

He followed behind her, easily catching up to match the strides of her shorter legs. Klaus often used teased her about them, saying that they resembled the short and thin stems of dandelions.

With that thought, she noted how he had juristically changed over the years. His frequent witty banter had tapered off to an occasional joke, usually when they were alone. She wished he could be himself more around other people besides herself and one or two others.

Not the intimidating hybrid who was feared by nearly every man, woman, and supernatural being that crossed his path, but the kind and well-respected man she had met almost nine hundred years before.

England - 1185

Belle sauntered through a dimly lit ballroom on the arm of her younger brother with her head held high.

As young and nomadic vampires they had bounced around from one city to the next, leaving when they got bored or wanted a change of scenery. They had returned to England months before and couldn't resist paying the rumored Original Vampires a visit. And so, they decided to attend a gathering that was being held at the mysterious family's castle.

Humans stood around talking to one another and drinking, enjoying the hospitalities of allusive Mikaelsons. Belle was a young vampire, but she knew another vampire when she saw one and so far she hadn't caught a glimpse of any, aside from Max.

"Do you suppose we will see them?" Max whispered in her ear.

She looked around the room as she replied, "I surely hope so." Her eyes hadn't stopped searching the room since they had arrived.

Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a man from across the room. She moved her head to the side so she could see around the people who walked past him.

Finally, she got a good look at him. He was fairly tall with curly blond hair that hung down to his shoulders. The clothes that he was wearing were no doubt expensive, though that meant nothing. Everyone there was wealthy. She continued her investigation; there was something about him that stood out to her.

He turned in her direction for what couldn't have been longer than a second, but it seemed like hours in her mind. Their eyes met and she immediately knew that he was a vampire, hopefully one of the Originals. She knew it because of his eyes. Not because they were red, as vampires eyes could turn, because they weren't. They were a dark blue, like the ocean after a rough storm. It was because they were kind of eyes that had seen things. Gruesome things. Things that only someone who had lived at least two lifetimes could ever see. They were the kind of eyes that could tell a story. Their allure drew her in, like a moth to the light.

She seemed to gravitate toward him, slipping out of her brother's grip. He cautiously followed her. "Sister, where are you going?" She didn't answer him.

The mystery vampire turned to her as she approached him, a hint of mirth shone in his eyes. He must have been able to tell that she was a vampire because he didn't give her the usual prey look that vampires gave humans, like they were a walking and talking appetizer.

"Ahhh, young blood. What a joy it is to see some that I haven't turned myself." He kept his voice low enough so only they could hear. He looked them over, seemingly appraising the pair as they came to a halt just a foot or two away.

Belle narrowed her eyes at him slightly. "So you are one of them? The Originals?"

He chuckled at her boldness towards him. His eyes flickered to Max, who stood like a statue by her side, blatantly a little frightening. "Indeed I am, love. Who might you be?"

She spoke without hesitation. "My name is Belinda." She turned to her brother. "This is my younger brother, Maxwell." She stifled a giggle at Max's shocked expression.

He seemed to be at a loss for words for a moment or two. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my Lord." He cleared his throat nervously before turning to Belle. "I'll return momentarily."

She nodded as he walked away before turning her attention back to the stranger. "I don't believe you have given me your name yet, my lord." Her voice was calm and relaxed, like she was talking to an old friend.

"Forgive me, my name is Klaus." He leaned in ever so slightly, eyes locked on hers, and whispered, "but some prefer to call me by Nik." He flashed her a crooked smirk that instinctively evoked one from her.

"Nik, then. You may call me by Belle." Her smirk changed into a confident smile.

Before they could continue their conversation, Max came to stand by her side, grasping her upper arms lightly. "A word, sister?"

She glanced at him and let out a low sigh before turning back to Klaus. "Give us a moment, please."

Klaus nodded, folding his hands patiently behind his back.

Max pulled her off to the side of the room, away from eager ears. "I've just heard wonderful news about Spain, sister. I think we ought to go there. What say you?" There was a hint of excitement in his voice and in his eyes.

He loved adventure and traveling from place to place. So did Belle. But, there was a little voice inside her that said that now wasn't the time.

She shook her head at him. "No, Max. I am not ready to leave." Her eyes wandered over to Klaus, who had struck up another polite conversation with a few humans as he waited. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Not yet."

Present

They passed by the living room when Marcel called out to her. "Hey Belle?"

She pivoted on the heel of her sneakers and poked her head through the doorway. "Yeah?" Her gut told her that he was trying to start something. It was inevitable, after what had happened at the council meeting last week.

"Have you heard the news?"

She noticed the accusing look in his eyes. That was enough to tell her where he was going with this.

Still, she played coy. "What news?" She walked farther into the room and leaned against the row of bookshelves along the wall.

"There have been two other vampires that have turned up dead on the outskirts of town." He shifted in his seat, crossing his legs and sitting taller, like he was about to say something important and incriminating.

"Let's not start this again, shall we, Klaus urged, though his tone showed that he knew it was going to happen no matter what he said.

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him from across the room. "No, I hadn't heard that."

And, in fact, she hadn't heard that. She had simply assumed that the two vampires would turn up dead after she had questioned them days before. Well, tortured was more like it. Charlotte's lackeys had a nasty habit of staying loyal to her, meaning that they would rather have their insides pulled out from their mouths, not that as Belle had done that, than dole out any information about her whereabouts.

He chuckled menacingly. "I'm sure you hadn't."

Belle rolled her eyes, half annoyed and half angry. She didn't know whether she wanted to punch him in the arm or rip it off. "See you later, asshole." She spun around and walked out.

Belle spent the rest of the day at the compound. She talked to Klaus and Hayley for the most part; Elijah was handling the party plans and Rebekah had taken Davina with her to shop for dresses. Belle was pretty sure that Marcel had went with them to find a suit, so she didn't worry about running into him again and having to deal with his poorly veiled accusations.

The sun was about to set when she got back to the apartment, stopping by to get ready for the party. Max was in his room, adjusting his bow tie in the mirror. She noted a massive pile of suits and tuxes on his bed and chuckled. He turned around to face her, looking a little flustered.

"Need some help?" She shook her head at him in a way that only a big sister could.

He exhaled deeply, eyeing the mass of clothes behind him before looking back into her eyes. "Yes." He gave her his best version of the puppy-dog-eyes.

She sighed, but relented. It wasn't very often that she saw her baby brother so distraught over a boy with his typically player lifestyle. Every once in a while though, he'd find someone he really liked. When he did, Belle tried to help him as best she could. She wasn't a relationship guru by any means; she just wanted to see him happy.

After three more changed of clothes and a glass of whiskey to calm his nerves, Max was finally ready. He was going to stop by Josh's apartment to pick him up before going to the party.

As soon as Max left, she ran off to her room to get ready. Though she didn't like doing too much to her appearance on a day-to-day basis, being a natural beauty, she absolutely loved getting dolled-up for parties. She curled her hair to enhance its already natural curliness and pulled it to one side, pinning it in place. Then, she started on her make-up. She kept it simple with a light pink blush, natural smokey eyes, and nude lips. She shuffled through her closet in search of the perfect dress. At last, she settled on a beautiful blue dress that matched her eyes. It was strapless and backless, flowing elegantly down to the floor. If it weren't for her four-inch heels, she'd be walking on it.

After giving herself a final look in the mirror, she headed out.

The compound was already packed when she arrived. Cars lined the block and crowds of people walked in after being checked off by the bouncer at the door. She snorted, a bouncer. Really? She guessed it was necessary to keep lurking tourists away. They probably thought it was a rave.

She didn't have to get her name checked off, the man recognized her immediately and let her in.

The courtyard was alive with people drinking and dancing. Vampires, witches, and werewolves alike, though they kept almost exclusively to their own faction.

Her eyes scanned the room until they found a familiar face, Hayley. She smiled and walked over to the soon-to-be mother of her best friend's miracle child. "Don't you look great," Belle appraised.

Hayley smiled. "Thanks. You look amazing too." She looked down at her dress for a moment. "It was a bitch to find a dress that could actually fit. I'm scared out of my mind thinking about her getting any bigger. I already feel like a blimp!"

Belle shook her head and waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. Having a baby is a wonderful thing. In the end, it'll all be worth it." She kept her tone optimistic so as not to ruin the upbeat mood with details from her dreary old life.

She noticed that Hayley's eyes locked on a figure across the room, Elijah. She grinned and gently nudged Hayley's arm with her elbow. "Well, well, well. Looks like the pregnancy hormones are getting to you." She laughed.

Hayley discretely punched her in the arm. "Shut up." She kept her voice hushed.

Belle saw her cheeks flush red and laughed even harder. "So, you do like him." Hayley glared daggers at her. "I knew it!"

Before she said anything else, Belle noticed a figure that was walking behind Elijah. It was Klaus, clad in an all black suit. She used all her strength to keep her face relaxed and unchanged.

Apparently Hayley saw right through this. "Please, feel free to pick your jaw up off the floor," she whispered. "Along with your panties."

Belle rolled her eyes. Before she could shoot anything back, Elijah and Klaus walked up to them.

"I need a drink." Belle spun around and walked away in the opposite direction. She really did need a drink, but mostly just wanted to get away so she could collect her scattered thoughts.

She ordered a glass of white wine and leaned back against the bar as she sipped from it. She spotted Max in a corner talking to Josh and Davina. He seemed happy, which made her smile.

"Do you want to dance?" a voice asked from behind her. She knew it was Klaus before she even turned around. His voice was very distinct.

She shrugged casually. "Sure." She finished her drink and set the empty glass down on the bar.

He gingerly took her hand and they walked out to the dance floor. It was a slow song, so she placed one hand in his and the other on his shoulder, while he placed his other hand on her waist. She resisted the urge to shiver under his touch.

"Now that I have you alone, there's something I've been wanting to talk to you about." His voice was low and a little husky.

She swallowed nervously, having two different scenarios in mind, the first being more optimistic and the second being more terrifying. She hoped it was the first one.

"What is it?"

He looked her straight in the eyes before speaking. "Well, I've been thinking a lot lately about something I heard."

"About what?" she asked, keeping her eyes locked on his as she tried to project confidence.

"About what Marcel said." Her heart dropped. "At first I didn't want to believe it, but I'm afraid I have to ask. Do you have anything to do with the murders?"

Her eyes flickered away from his, a reaction of both nervousness and disbelief. She exhaled and looked back to him. "I didn't kill them, Klaus. You know that." She narrowed her eyes questioningly at him. "Don't you trust me?"

He visibly stiffened. "Honestly, I'm beginning to think that I can't. You've been so secretive lately. How can I know that you're not lying to me?" He tried to disguise the hurt in his voice, but she heard it loud and clear. They had always been nothing but honest with each other and she hated having to keep this from him.

Her rational side told her to be honest, but she wasn't up for being rational. She told herself to do whatever it took to keep him in the dark as best as she could.

In the past he had stopped her from pursuing her revenge, worried that she would get herself killed. Granted, there had been a few times where she had in fact come face to face with death because of it. That's when he told her to stop.

She shook her head at him. "God, Klaus. I've been your friend for centuries, stood by your side and been nothing but completely and utterly honest with you. Doesn't that mean anything?"

She expected to see some semblance of remorse in his eyes, but only saw his rising anger. "Of course it does. But I know when someone is keeping something from me. And, as you know, when it involves my city I won't stop until I find out." He didn't bothering hiding his fury.

She scoffed at him. "Yeah, I think we're done here." Her face was hard as stone as she pulled away from him. "Goodnight, Niklaus." She only used his real name when she was mad at him, as his siblings did. She turned and quickly walked out, pushing past everyone roughly if they got in her way. If they were smart, they'd let her by without saying anything.

When she got home she was just as, if not more, angry as when she had left.

On her way to her room she grabbed two bottles of Jack Daniel's from the liquor cabinet. She slammed the bedroom door and unzipped her dress, shimmying out of it. She kicked off her heels and opened the first bottle.

By the time she went to bed, she had finished the first bottle and was halfway through the second. Blackout drunk and blissfully numb, she crawled into bed and immediately fell asleep; passing out would be a better way of describing it.

She didn't want to think anymore. Her thoughts were her enemy that night.


	7. Chapter 7

**A.N.- I'm sorry for not updating last week. On a sidenote, I'm going to New York City this week on a school trip and I'm so excited! Next week is my Fall Break, so I'll definitely update then. Thanks again for the support. Please review and enjoy :)**

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Song: Bastille - _Bad Blood_

Belle moved the paint roller up the wall, changing its original bone white color to a deep burgundy. She had already finished three walls of her bedroom and was applying the finishing touches to the last one. The furniture was pushed in by one or two feet and newspapers scattered the wood floor.

It was approaching noon. She had woken up hours before in the mood to do some redecorating. After the events of the previous night, she needed something to keep herself busy.

She heard the front door open and immediately knew it was Max trying to sneak back in after being gone all night. She set down the roller, climbed off the stepladder, and poked her head out the open door. "Nice to see you, slut." Her lips twisted into a smirk.

Seconds later, he came into her line of vision. His hair was disheveled. His jacket rested on his arm. His bow tie was undone and hung loosely around his neck. He groaned. "God, Belle. Don't start with me." He brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose as he shook his head at her.

She laughed and shook her head right back at him. "So, how was your night?" She stepped forward to stand in the doorway and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Fine." He walked forward to stand in front of his bedroom door, peering behind Belle into her chaotic room, noticing the strong stench of fresh paint in the air. "What the hell are you doing?" He eyes her work with curiosity and skepticism, wrinkling his nose at the pungent scent of paint.

She shrugged. "I wanted to repaint. We need some life in this shit hole you call an acceptable place to live."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry, your majesty. This was the only decent place up for rent in the Quarter. So, what exactly happened last night?"

She played coy. "What do you mean? You got laid. I sat at home with a bottle of whiskey. That's how it is almost every night."

He narrowed his eyes. "You know what I mean. What happened between you and Klaus?"

She averted his eyes. "Nothing that concerns you."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. Don't tell me." He turned around and went into his room to change clothes and shower.

She wiped the paint on her hands on her already stained t-shirt and sighed deeply.

To say the least, she was surprised that her anger toward Klaus hadn't dissipated overnight; that's what usually happened after the fought. Some would say they were like an old married couple. They would fight one day and be perfectly fine the next. But this time was different.

They were both temperamental, pig-headed, sometimes borderline psychotic, but that's one of the reasons they got along so well. Sometimes however, their personalities worked against them. She was determined to keep him in the dark and he was determined to uncover the truth.

Deep down, she wanted to be honest with him, but she knew that right now she couldn't risk him ruining everything.

Her phone buzzed from across the room. She spun on her heel and walked over to check who was calling. It was Klaus. She visibly cringed before answering. "What do you want?"

He scoffed. "Well, I can tell that you're in an excellent mood."

"Sarcasm. How mature of you." She narrowed her eyes.

He chuckled and exhaled. "Belle, would you be willing to meet up with me and talk? There are a few things I'd like to discuss face-to-face." His voice was relaxed. She didn't trust it, not for a second.

"Bullshit. You act like I don't know you at all. Do you really expect me to believe that you've had some revelation overnight and are now ready to actually listen? I don't buy it."

Suddenly a knock echoed from the front door. "I knew you'd say that." She could hear his voice coming from the phone as well as behind the door. She hung up the phone and tossed it on her bed, stomping to the front door. She was more than ready for an argument with him. Her anger continued to bubble under the surface, ready to explode.

She flung open the door and glared at Klaus. "Go away Niklaus." She attempted to slam the door in his face, but he caught it easily.

"Tell me the truth, Belinda." Patience had never been his strong suit.

"I did last night. I didn't kill anyone," she insisted.

His eyes narrowed. "So, you're telling me that you had absolutely nothing to do with the murders? I have resources that would say otherwise."

She wanted to roll her eyes. "Are you really that paranoid?"

"My paranoia has nothing to do with it love. The odds are stacked against you. Now answer the question." He inched closer to her, never breaking his eyes away from hers.

She stared back at him, moving forward so they were only a breath apart. In any other circumstances, their proximity would have led to an awkward moment when they would almost kiss, but move away at the last second. But not this time. She had learned many tricks from Klaus and intimidation was one of them.

"I've already told you. I didn't kill anyone. Now drop it." She was now shaking with anger, clenching her fist so tightly her knuckles turned white.

He backed off a little. "That wasn't the question. I know you have something to do with what's been going on and I want to know what that something is. Now answer me!" He was nearly yelling by this point. Fury burned brightly in the back of eyes, but behind that was another emotion she recognized. Hurt. He knew that she was lying to him, something she had never done in all the years they had known one another, and he felt betrayed. That hint of emotion alone made her want to give in.

All she said was, "I'm not killing anyone, but I can assure you that what I am doing is none of your business." She didn't mean for it to come off as rude and insolent; she was just telling him the truth. But in his state of mind it did.

He smirked and chuckled in a way that made her blood run cold. Abruptly, he grabbed her and forced her against a wall the hallway, pinning her by her arms.

Before he could speak, she interjected. "I haven't taken my vervain today. Maybe you can just compel an answer out of me. That is what you want, right?" She forced him off her with a violent shove. "Oh wait, you can't because you promised me that you would never compel me. Remember that?" She scoffed.

"And you promised that you would always tell me the truth," he shot back.

She flinched. "I'm sorry, Klaus. I really am, but I can't tell you. Not now. Why can't you just trust me?" There was a twinge of pleading in her voice. She rarely pleaded for anything, but she needed this. She needed him to understand that this was her cross to bear.

Blinded by anger, he ignored her wide, desirous eyes. "I suppose you leave me no choice." He grabbed her by her shoulders and forced her to look him in the eyes.

"Klaus, please. Don't." She struggled in his grasp as she tried to break free. "Nik."

For a slip-second she thought her would let her go, but that hope was lost as soon as his lips parted and he spoke the six simple, yet detrimental, words she feared. "What are you hiding from me?"

Unable to hold her tongue, she answered him. "I'm still looking for Charlotte. I tortured anyone who had information about her." Her voice was monotonous, almost robotic.

"Why did they turn up dead if you didn't kill them?"

Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them away before answering. "She did it, Charlotte. I think she's trying to frame me."

Satisfied, yet seemingly full of regret, he relinquished his hold on her. "I'm sorry I had to do that." His voice was deep and she could hear the anguish in it.

"Don't apologize. I don't want to hear it. Just get away from me." A few silent tears slipped down her cheeks, clinging to her chin before falling onto her shirt, forming small puddles on the fabric.

He reached out to her, but she quickly pulled away. Without another word, he turned around and was gone in the blink of an eye.

Feeling powerless and betrayed, she crumbled to the floor, leaning against the wall as she silently sobbed. She wasn't just upset that Klaus had compelled her, or that he didn't trust her as she trusted him. What bothered her more than anything was the thought that her life's work was now possibly ruined.

One of the only things she had wanted for her entire immortal life was to kill Charlotte, the vampire who had singlehandedly destroyed her life. Belle had tried for years to find her and kill her, but something always got in the way. That something being Klaus.

A.N.- I'm sorry for leaving off here, but I'll be doing a pretty lengthy flashback to continue and I decided that it would be best if I put it with the next chapter. If anyone has any suggestions please PM me or post a review! I'm struggling a little with how to include everything that still needs to be said. I hope you guys like flashbacks ;)


	8. Chapter 8

**A.N.- Season 2 is incredible so far! Sorry, I just had to get that out. Anyway, if anyone has any questions or suggestions then please include them in a review or PM. Thanks!**

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Another week had passed as Belle continued to dive deeper and deeper into her search. She had tortured three other vampires and was on her way to find the next.

Word of her mission had spread like wildfire throughout the Quarter and as a result, it seemed like everyone was avoiding her, fearing her infamous wrath. She hated it. Unlike Klaus, Belle didn't want others to be afraid her, to quake with fear at the sound of her name. It made her feel even more isolated than she already did.

Coping with loneliness wasn't one of her strengths. She had half a mind to call Klaus and apologize, but she knew better. She kept telling herself that she wasn't the one with something to apologize for.

She reminded herself that technically she hadn't really lied to Klaus, just withheld the whole truth. Yet, no matter how many times she told this to herself, she didn't believe a word of it.

Though she didn't consider what she had done to be lying, she knew that Klaus did. And that thought left her with a pit in her stomach and an ache in her heart that she couldn't get rid of.

She hated herself for hurting him. And she hated him for hurting her. It was just an endless cycle of hatred and furry, like a game of tug-of-war that was evenly matched on both sides. It left her feeling empty and exhausted.

As she strode down the darkened streets, she was struck with a familiar memory - one she had dreaded for centuries.

Klaus hadn't always been opposed to her revenge fantasy. In fact, he had once encouraged it. But that changed after one particularly horrific night.

_1635_

Covered in her own blood, Belle stumbled through the door, screaming for Klaus as she choked back blood. She was hunched over, unable to stand up straight, with one hand covering the wound in her chest and the other on the wall as she tried to keep her balance.

He rushed into the room and looked at her with wide eyes. "Belle!" He rushed over to her side as she stumbled and nearly fell to the floor. "What happened? Who did this?" He swept her into his arms and carried her over to a nearby table, gently lying her fragile body on the hard mahogany.

She coughed violently, spewing a few dribbles of blood onto her already ruined dress. "I was searching for Charlotte. I found one her friends in a town not far from here," she paused as she struggled to catch her breath. "But she, she tried to stake me. I pulled it out, but a few pieces of it are still inside me. I can feel them scraping against my heart." Tears fell from her eyes and slipped down into her hair as she cried out in pain.

He nodded sternly, motivated by anger and fear. "Try not to move." He began carefully trying to remove the splinters as best he could without causing her too much discomfort.

Through the agony, she saw in his eyes that he was terrified. The fear only seemed to grow with each scream that escaped her lips. She hated upsetting him, so she clenched her jaw tightly and tried to stay quiet. If she hadn't been in immense pain, she would have laughed. Even on the brink of death, she was still selfless. Especially when it came to him. It had been a habit from her human years that she had never managed to break.

It took him almost an hour to pluck the splinters out of her. She gasped as the last one, the one that had been closest to puncturing her heart, was out. She took a few deep breaths as she body healed itself.

"Are you alright?" He reached over and moved a curl away from her face.

She nodded weakly, forcing a small smile to put his mind at ease. "Yes. Thank you, Nik."

She expected him to smile back at her, or show some kind of relief, but instead she saw anger. A white hot furry burned in his eyes. "I'll kill her myself and anyone who attempts to aid her." She could tell from the way her spoke that he was about to start making more threats and plotting an elaborate revenge scheme.

"Nik, please." She gathered her strength as she forced herself off the table to go stand by his side. She put a hand on his shoulder. "This isn't your fight."

He shook her hand off and turned to look into her eyes. "You nearly died not an hour ago. Haven't I the right to be angry? To defend you, my closest friend? Would you not do the same for your family?"

"Yes, of course, but we are not family," she said.

He took a step closer to her, taking her hand. "I believe we are. Family is much more than simply those with whom we share blood. Don't you agree?"

She struggled to wrap her mind around his words. Family? He considered her to be family? The word sent a shock throughout her entire body. That was the last thing she wanted to be in his eyes.

Deep down in the darkest pit of her heart she knew how she truly felt about him, but she was too afraid to say it out loud.

So, she simply nodded and painted a small smile on her face. "Yes," She paused. "But, that doesn't mean you should fight my battles for me."

He flinched, seeming offended by her words. His ego was more fragile than the most precious tea set. "Who would you expect to fight them for you when you are clearly incapable of doing so yourself? You want her dead and I can do it for you. It'll take me no time at all."

She clenched her teeth. If he hadn't just saved her life, she would have punched him square in the jaw. "How dare you. Do you think of me as a child? I am not! This is my revenge and I will seek it alone."

He stepped closer, grasping her carefully by the arm. "You misunderstand me. I do not believe you are a child, I simply want to help you and keep you out of harm's way. You are my friend, Belle." His eyes softened. "You are my family."

She shook her head firmly. "No, I refuse to give up," she insisted with blatant determination.

"No, you won't. You'll die."

The fear she had seen earlier in his eyes had returned. She had only seen that look a handful of times in her centuries with him - all of which were when someone threatened to leave him, whether it was a sibling or a friend. It broke her to see him that way. Despite every instinct, every nerve in her body, she gave in. For him.

She looked up at him with tears brimming and cascading down her face, and nodded solemnly.

_Present_

She had struggled for years to avoid it, to keep her promise to Klaus. But she couldn't.

There are some people who need something to do, something to give their life a sense of purpose. Belle was, without a doubt, one of those people. Revenge had become a bigger part of her life than she had originally intended. She knew that. And that knowledge absolutely terrified her.

She snapped back to reality when she caught sight of the vampire she had been looking for, a former friend of hers from the '80s. Well, friend was a very strong word. Her name was Skylar and, as Belle had recently learned, she happened to be on of Charlotte's favorite pets.

Before she could follow Skylar, the last person she wanted to see stood in her path. "Get out of my way, Niklaus."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "And why should I do that? Do you have somewhere to be?"

She rolled her eyes. "It's none of your business what I'm doing or where I'm going, so back off. Got it?" She grew more annoyed by the millisecond.

"I know you're still on your little mission of vengeance and all, but I'd prefer that, if you're determined to get yourself killed, you do it somewhere else. The last thing I want is for the vampires of my city to fear for their safety within the walls of their own homes." His casual façade made her want to tear out her own hair and choke him with it.

"Get away from me," she growled, resisting the urge to slap the antagonizing grin off his face.

He took a step closer, which only made her angrier. "And why should I do that?"

"Because I don't want to see you. I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to be anywhere near you!"

"Then why don't you leave? No one's stopping you."

"Trust me, as soon as my work is finished here, I'm gone. For good."

"Fine by me."

His words cut through her like knives. Despite what she said, she didn't want to leave. She loved New Orleans. The best years of her life were there. Klaus had been the reason she had come there three-hundred years before, and now he would be the reason she would leave.

So many things needed to be said in that moment, but all she said was, "Go fuck yourself," before storming off after Skylar's bleached blond pixie-cut in the distance.

She ignored that pesky voices in her head that shouted "go back" and focused on the task at hand. The sooner she found and killed Charlotte, the sooner she could leave behind her old life. Maybe she'd give herself a new name. Dye her hair. Move to a foreign country, never to be heard from again. That sounded nice.

She cornered Skylar in an alley, snapped her neck, and brought her to an abandoned building a block down the road. It had become such a routine thing for her that she didn't even have to put much thought into it.

This time, she had to put more effort into getting the answers she so desperately wanted.

"You know, you used to be fun back in the day. What happened to you?" Skylar groaned in pain as Belle twisted the blade that was jammed into her femoral artery.

Belle laughed. "This is fun, don't you think?" she said before yanking the blade out of Skylar's leg, who yelped in pain. "Well, I guess it's just fun for me." She put the blade down on the floor before returned her attention to the latest fly she had tangled in her web. "All this fun can end if you just tell me where to find Charlotte. Come on, be smarter than everyone else. Take the easy way out."

Skylar shook her head. "No, no I can't. She'll kill me. I can't do it." A idea seemed to spark in her eyes. "But I know someone who will. He's a new kid, Charlotte just met him. He'll crack like an Easter egg. I swear."

Belle contemplated her suggestion for a second or two, before answering. "And who might this gullible little sap be?"

"His name is Josh. Josh Rosza." She pulled against her restraints. "Now please let me go."

She scoffed on disbelief. "Josh? Baby vampire. Dark hair. Brown eyes. Gay as a daisy in May. That Josh? Really?"

Skylar nodded as though her life depended on it, which it did, in a way. "Yes. Now let me go."

Reluctantly, Belle unlocked the locks to the chains that bound her and let her go.

She stared out into the darkness that poured into the dim room after Skylar fled. She knew what she had to do. It was the last piece of the puzzle she had been trying to solve for nine-hundred years.

She just prayed that Josh was really as easy to crack as she hoped. It'd be a shame to have to torture her little brother's new boyfriend. She really wanted them to stay together. At least one of them deserved to have a lasting relationship before they were a thousand. God knows it wouldn't be her.


	9. Chapter 9

**A.N.- Please keep up the support and review! If anyone has any suggestions on things you wanna see (well, read technically) then please PM me or leave them in a review. I'm sorry this is kind of a short chapter. Anyway, enjoy :) (WARNING: not a happy chapter)**

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Song: Trading Yesterday - _Shattered_

The fire of determination burned bright in her baby blue eyes. She struggled to put words to the feeling that filled her soul. She could feel it in her bones; the end was near. Not her end, but the end of her misery.

The only thing that had kept her going all these years was the thought that one day she could reach into Charlotte's chest and tear her heart from it, watching the life leave her eyes - the life that she had stolen not only from Belle and from Max, but from Belle's daughter, Lilith. She remembered it as clearly as she had centuries ago.

Bewildered and without her wits, Belle rushed around anxiously as she tried to find her daughter. Belle had searched the entire village twice and still found no sign of her .

She ran out to the forest in hopes of finding her daughter there, alive and well. Terrified more than likely, but still alive. Her worst fear came to life when she stumbled across a familiar smell - blood. Fresh blood. Alarmed, she ran as quickly as she could in its direction.

The sight she stumbled upon was one that would haunt her for all on eternity. Her precious, innocent little Lilith was keeled over at the edge of a clearing where they would always go to pick wildflowers in the spring. As though she were in a trance, Belle walked over to the horrific sight. With each step, more and more of the scene came into her view. Lilith's once perfectly white dress was stained with bright crimson blood; the blood was everywhere. It had spilled out onto the earth below and onto the tiny pink and purple flowers she had once loved.

Belle knelt down and picked up her lifeless body, looking into her deep brown eyes. Belle had always adored her eyes. They always had a glimmer of child-like wonder in them that was awe-inspiring. But, when Belle looked into them in that moment she saw nothing.

Belle cried out to her, wishing that she would wake up, but knowing that nothing could save her. She was gone.

Tears cascaded down her face as waves of agony crashed over her. She rested her head on Lilith's unmoving chest and shut her eyes, longing to hear her steady heartbeat and gentle breathing to lull her to sleep so she could wake up from the nightmare that her life had suddenly become.

After nine-hundred years, she still hadn't woken up from that nightmare. She hoped that avenging her daughter's untimely death would open up a new chapter of her life; a better one. One where she could once again find the complete happiness she hadn't known since her human life.

It was nearly 4 a.m. when she arrived at the Mikaelson's. She had checked Josh's apartment a half-hour earlier, but it was empty. The front door was locked, so she broke off the doorknob and forced her way in. She stomped through the courtyard and into the living room where she found Josh sitting on the couch with Max, with several respective inches between them, and Marcel sat in a chair across from them. They spoke quietly among themselves, but fell silent once they noticed her lurking in the entryway.

"I need to talk to Josh." She wasn't in the mood for conversational foreplay. They all stared at her, confused. "Now." She raised her voice. Her eyes were locked on Josh's now slightly terrified ones.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Marcel shifted in his seat to look at her.

She rolled her eyes. "To talk to Josh, obviously."

"Why?" Max demanded, crossing his arms over his chest as if to somehow intimidate her.

"None of your business."

"Still keeping secrets, I see. And from your own brother. Tragic," Klaus boomed from a few feet behind her as he descended from upstairs.

She clenched her fists, debating whether on if she should punch him or not. It was obvious that she wanted to. She cursed under her breath.

"I'm guessing your over the little tantrum you had earlier. Why else would you be here?" Klaus smirked arrogantly.

She walked further into the room, trying to get away from him. "Get off your high horse, princess. The world doesn't revolve around you." She threw a dangerous look in Klaus' direction before returning her attention to the matter at hand. "Now, Joshua, all you have to do is tell me where she is and we can all move on with our lives. Okay?" Her voice was as threatening as her glare.

Josh stirred under the pressure. "I - I don't know who you're talking about." A single bead of sweat dripped down his temple.

She rolled her eyes. "You're a horrible liar. You know who I'm talking about, so just tell me. I'll get it out of you one way or the other. Now talk." Her patience was wearing very thin.

Suddenly, it seemed like Josh's discomfort and fear escalated to full on panic. He shot up from his seat and tried to run out of the room. Unfortunately for him, Belle was much older and therefore much faster. She ran and caught him by the throat, slamming him against the wall so hard it shook the entire room.

"I've had a really crappy couple of days and it'd really make me happy if you would just make things easy and tell me where it is I can find Charlotte. Okay?" A small, sick smile crept onto her face, which was twisted in frustration. She was exhausted and out of patience.

Josh squirmed under her grasp. "I can't she'll kill me!"

"Not if I kill her first."

Max ran up behind Belle and pulled her off Josh. She then turned her anger on him. "Stay out of this, Max."

"I'm trying to stop you." He placed a firm hand on her shoulder, holding her in place.

"From what?"

"From doing something you'll regret."

She scoffed at him. "You're quite a few centuries too late for that." She grabbed his hand and forced it off. "My whole life is basically a series of doing things I regret."

Max looked confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She shook her head. "Nothing." She turned to Josh. "You're not off the hook. Talk, or I'll do things worse than death to you."

Josh swallowed hard.

"Since when are you opposed to killing? You seem to have no problem massacring a good number of vampires over the past few weeks you've been back," Marcel said.

Belle turned to Klaus, her expression a combination of anger and confusion. "You didn't tell him?"

"Tell me what?" Marcel turned to Klaus.

Klaus shrugged. "Must have slipped my mind." He gave one of his common guilty playing innocent looks.

She rolled her eyes. "I don't have the time or the patience to get involved in your damn drama. Sort it out among yourselves later." With a sudden burst of energy, she pushed Max out-of-the-way and jammed her fist into Josh's chest, getting a tight hold on his heart. He gasped in pain. Practically bipolar, her emotions quickly changed to a blinding rage. "Where is she?"she screamed in his face. If anyone in the compound hadn't already been woken up by the commotion, they would have definitely been awoken by her outburst.

"She's at the docks at the edge of town. She's been moving around from place to place ever since you showed up."

She could see in his eyes that he was truly afraid for his wasn't the only thing she saw. She saw her own reflection mirrored in his eyes, staring back at her with the same fury Josh and everyone else around her did. She then realized what she truly was. She had forgotten it over the years, or maybe just ignored it, but in that instant it was an undeniable fact. Just like the Earth is round and the sky is blue, she was a monster.

She suppressed the crushing feelings of self-loathing that crept out from the darkest corners of her mind and released Josh from her grasp, unharmed. "Now was that so hard?" She turned around to the shocked faces of Max and Marcel, and the more disappointed face of Klaus. "After I've paid Charlotte a little visit, I'll be out of you lives for good. So don't worry." She hid the angst in her voice and wiped the blood off on her jeans before walking out of the room with her head held high.

On her walk home, the image of Klaus's face was stuck in her mind as though it had been super-glued there. That was probably the worse thing; knowing that she had disappointed him.

Somehow, she managed to hold herself together until she reached the familiar comfort of her apartment. She closed the door softly and slid down to the floor, pulling her knees to her chest as a flood of tears poured down her face like a dam had burst.

She felt like she was a child again, helpless. She could practically hear her mother saying, "What's wrong with you, Belinda?" For most of her childhood she had felt like nothing more than a nuisance, a burden, a waste of space. Worthless. "What's wrong with me?" Her voice trembled.

She sat on the floor until the sun started to rise when she was overcome with exhaustion, both physical and emotional. With what strength she had left, she pulled herself up from the floor and went to bed. She would need her strength.


	10. Chapter 10

**A.N.- I'm going to keep this short and sweet. Please read, enjoy, and review. Thanks :)**

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Songs:

Plumb - _Don't Deserve You_

Ed Sheeran - _Bloodstream_

Out of every thought that had run through her head that day, the one that managed to make its way into her dreams was one that brought her a confusing mixture of feelings.

_New York - 1922_

"You too, Nik." Belle's entire face lit up when her lips curled into a small, genuine smile.

Klaus returned his attention to the group of unruly, drunken men. "Gentlemen, give us some privacy. We have a lot of catching up to do."

She suspected that Klaus had compelled them to obey him because they stood up without so much as a weak complaint and went to occupy an empty corner of the room. She didn't say anything on the subject. She just raised an inquisitive eyebrow at him before taking a seat.

It had been nearly a year since they had seen one another, but to a vampire, that was nothing. However, she still had missed him, maybe more than she was willing to admit. She missed talking with him more than anything, so that's just what they did. They exchanged stories, some old, some new, for hours while they admittedly had a little too much to drink. By the time the clock struck midnight they were both fairly drunk and Belle was doubled over laughing for no particular reason.

Klaus looked at her in amusement. "Why are you laughing?" he asked, trying to suppress his own laughter.

"I don't know!" Tears were rolling down her face by that point. She took a few seconds to pull herself together, wiping away the tear streaks with her gloved fingers before they smudged her makeup. She turned to Klaus with wide eyes. "Come dance with me." She jutted out her bottom lip.

He remained where he sat, obstinate as usual. "You can go if you want." He took a long drink from his bourbon.

A long sigh escaped her ruby lips. She set her arms on the table and laid her chin on them, glaring at him from the corner of her eye. "Please, Nik? I'm bored." She tilted her head so she could look at him directly. "Please?"

He exhaled deeply before finishing his drink. He reluctantly made his way to the end of the booth where he stood and offered her his hand. "Come on."

She grinned widely before getting up and taking his extended hand as he led her over to the dance floor.

They danced in perfect timing with the lively jazz music that filled the room with a vibrant exuberance until they were both out of breath. The tempo suddenly slowed to a gentle lull as a slower song began. Accordingly, each couple switched to a slower dance.

The pair gently swayed back and forth. Belle had lost count of the number of times they had danced together throughout the centuries, but something was different that night. Maybe it was the liquor that pumped through their veins. Or the smooth alto of the saxophone that filled their ears. Or the sensation of romance that surrounded them. Or maybe a combination of the three. She hadn't realized what she was doing until it was already done. Her lips met with his for fraction of a second before she quickly pulled away, embarrassed and baffled. Without a word, she freed herself from his grasp and walked away, pushing past anyone who stood in her way.

She grabbed a glass of champagne from a small silver tray and went to the back of the room. She leaned against the wall, focusing on the tiny lights that were mirrored in the golden liquid.

What had she been thinking? How could she be so reckless? Admittedly, she had always wondered what it'd be like to kiss him, to finally learn the taste and feeling of his lips. But she had always told herself that if she gave in to the temptation it would be the undoing of years upon years of friendship. There had always been a sort of silent agreement between them to not get romantically involved, and she had breached that agreement in one impulsive act.

Interrupting her train of thought, Klaus approached her, striding headstrong across the room with a look of sheer determination that perplexed her. He was all of a step away from her when he plucked the glass from her slender fingers and downed it in one fluid motion. He sat it down on a table next to them. Her eyebrows knit together. Before she could speak his lips pressed against hers, eager and fearless. She didn't fight it, ignoring her rational side and giving in. The forbidden fruit that was Klaus Mikaelson was just too sweet for her to resist any longer.

She didn't have the slightest idea how long it had been - minutes, hours, years, she could care less. Eventually they managed to part. She saw the undeniable look of longing that burned in his eyes that was undoubtedly blazing in her own. They both grinned from ear-to-ear. She saw that her red lipstick was smudged on his lips, so she wiped it away with her thumb, chuckling under her breath. Her hands cupped his face as she lightly stroked the blonde stubble along his jaw.

His eyes flickered to the exit before he looked back at her. "Come with me." His voice was quiet and husky. A small shiver went up her spine. She nodded. He took her hand and they left quickly. She held on tightly to his hand as she trailed behind him through the masses of people.

They soon arrived in front of the hotel where he was staying and rushed up the stairs, racing each other. Soon they arrived at the top floor where Klaus unlocked the door to his suite, which was, as per usual, more extravagant than what was really necessary. She didn't really get a good look at it before he pinned her to a couch that was almost ten feet from the front door. The suddenness of his actions caused her to gasp in delight. Their lips locked once more and stayed that way for nearly the rest of the night.

The sun rose above the city skyline the next morning, casting a series of shadows onto the bedspread. Belle's eyes blinked open, taking in the surroundings. She smiled to herself, clutching the covers closer to her chest.

She turned onto her other side, facing the rest of the bed - her face fell when she saw that it was empty. She reached out and touched the empty spot next to her where Klaus should have been. It was cold.

She frowned and sat up, wrapping a cream-colored sheet around herself as she stood up. The suite was silent, aside from the creaking of the bed, which worried her deeply.

Cautiously, she padded over to the door and opened it; she didn't hear or see anyone. His scent had even faded away. She checked the rest of the place only to come up empty. He was long gone.

Her head and heart filled with disappointment, anger, betrayal, and, most of all, hurt. He had deserted her like she was just another one of his meaningless flings. A part of her thought that, maybe in his eyes, she was.

_Present_

Once she realized how late it was, Belle shot up out of bed, changed her clothes, and was out the door in record timing. It was already nighttime, so she needed to get a move on before Charlotte chose to move again.

The full moon illuminated puddles in the streets, giving the illusion that there were many small moons scattered across the pavement - she paid little attention to them, beautiful as they may be. She had to keep her focus on the task at hand. After walking around 10 more blocks she found it, the place where Josh had so kindly told her Charlotte was hiding out. With determination, she slid the heavy metal doors open with ease and stepped inside. She knew he hadn't been lying; Charlotte's stench was everywhere. She remembered it clearly.

"Come on out, Charlotte. Let's finish what we started," she called as she walked between rows of old, broken down boats that where housed there. Charlotte always had a knack for staying in run-down places.

There was a sound about a hundred yards away that caught her attention. She flashed to its source in a matter of seconds. To her shock and despair, she hadn't found Charlotte, or any other vampire for that matter. She was face-to-face with two hulking werewolves, masses of fur and muscle. She exhaled deeply. "You wanna play games, Charlotte? Fine by me." Her voice echoing through the building.

Belle looked into the eyes of the first wolf, grinning wickedly at it. It bared its razor-sharp teeth at her, a wicked grin of its own. Without hesitation, she lunged forward, snapping its neck before it could make a move.

With her back turned to it, the other werewolf took the opportunity to attack. It lurched forward and tackled her to the ground, snapping it jaws. She held it back and struggled as she tried to force it off. Before she could stop it, or even register what was happening, the wolf viciously tore into her neck. She summoned all her strength to push it off of her, not that it did her any good. She slammed herself into its side, crushing its ribs before she managed to break its neck. Without a moment's hesitation, she ran away from the savage scene to try to find Charlotte.

Her scent was fresh, but Belle realized that she was no longer there. She had fled like the coward she was.

Defeated, Belle crumbled to the floor. She slammed her fist on the concrete beneath her until it cracked. She took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves before pulling out her phone, which was miraculously undamaged, and dialed Max's number. It rang a few times before he picked up. "What is it?"

"Max, I need help."

He had picked her up at the docks and taken her back home. A few hours had passed as he tried repeatedly to call Klaus, but kept getting his voicemail. "Why can't we just go over there? I know Klaus is pissed at you, but he has to help you." Max groaned as he set his phone down on the coffee table. He picked up a cool washcloth from a bowl of water and put it on her forehead.

She swatted his hand away and put the cloth down. "He doesn't have to do anything. And he's more than pissed at me. I betrayed his trust - that's not something he takes lightly." She pulled herself up from the couch and began pacing back and forth. A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead from the fever. When that werewolf bit her, it bit her hard. Feeling the venom burning like a wildfire in her veins, she knew she had twelve hours left, at best, before she would be beyond Klaus's help. She fanned herself with her hand before tugging her long-sleeved shirt over her head, leaving her in a charcoal grey tank-top. "God, I'm hot," she groaned. "I haven't had a fever since I was nine."

Max frowned. "Don't worry, we'll get Klaus to cure you." Her brother was being such an optimist.

She, on the other hand, was a realist. "Yeah, you and what army? He's stubborn. He wont budge. If he hasn't answered you by now he probably won't." She looked him directly in the eyes as she spoke. "The hallucinations should set in soon, so that should be fun."

She stumbled back over to the couch, losing her balance. Before she fell, Max caught her and helped her down. At the exact moment he touched her, the first wave of hallucinations hit her like a train. In her weakened state, the wall to her thoughts was down, leaving her vulnerable. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he had seen her thoughts. He was terrified.

It hadn't been very clear, just flashes of light, faces, and blood. So much blood. The faces were those of their mother, father, and siblings. The blood was also theirs. It stained her hands and her face.

Max backed away with wide, hardened eyes. "Is it true?" His voice was cold, yet fragile, like an icicle.

"Max, just let me explain." She stood up and walked toward him, trying to calm him down.

He pulled away and gave her an icy glare. "Is it true?"

She hesitated, trying to figure out the right thing to say. "Yes. It was an accident, I swear. Just please let me explain." Her wide eyes begged him to listen.

He seemed to ignore the look of misery in her eyes and instead focused solely on the guilt. He shook his head. "I don't want to hear it." He turned on his heel and stormed out, slamming the door shut and leaving her alone and utterly dejected.

She laid back down on the couch and covered her eyes with her hands as she sobbed hopelessly. Tears poured down the sides of her face and spilled onto the cushion below her head.

She had forced away the only person she felt actually still cared about her, not on purpose of course. It was like the universe wanted her to be alone; every person she ever loved ended up leaving one way of another. She and Max had managed to stay together over the years since they had turned because they were the only family each other had. Now that he knew she was the reason, she knew he would never forgive her.

Not that it would matter, she'd be dead before too long.

Hours passed by and she could feel herself growing weaker and weaker as the venom coursed through her. Sunlight was starting to pour into the room. She was still curled up on the couch when something caught her eye, a little girl. The girl wore a white dress and had long black hair that was perfectly straight. Her skin was like alabaster and her dark brown eyes were set into a delicate heart-shaped face. Belle recognized her immediately. "Lilith."

The girl smiled. "Come play with me, mother." She giggled before turning around and walking through the front door, literally.

She gathered what strength she had left and rushed after her. Deep down she knew it was all in her head, but she couldn't think straight. She walked down the winding staircase, trying to see where Lilith went. Once she got downstairs, Belle caught a glimpse of her walking out the front door that stood open. She continued to follow her through the crowded streets until she was led into a small store that was nearly empty.

Suddenly, the ghostly figure of her daughter disappeared into thin air. She looked around frantically, trying to find her, but she was gone. Belle quickly stumbled upon another familiar face, her mother's, followed by those of her father, her other brother, and her sisters. They were all wearing the clothes they had worn on the night she had turned, when she had slaughtered them. "You're, you're all dead. You're not real. None of this is real." Her voice quivered with fear.

Her mother reached out and stroked her cheek. Belle swore that she could feel it. "And why are we dead?

A tear slipped down her cheek before she whispered, "Because I killed you." Belle looked up into her mother's eyes that were identical to her own.

Her face hardened and she pulled her hand away. "That's right."

"We should have know you would be the undoing of our family." Her father stared at her with cold, dead eyes.

She shook her head. "You're not real. You're dead. Go away!" A chorus of laughter erupted from them. "Go away!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. She lunged at them, ripping out their throats and draining the blood from their bodies, just like she had done years before.

She stood back and blinked rapidly as the hallucination subsided. She let out a sigh in relief. It was over. But, when she looked down at her hands they were still covered in blood. Her eyes moved to a trail of blood on the white tile floor. It led to a small pile of bodies, four to be exact. In her sickened haze, she had mistaken those innocent people for her dead family members.

Defeated, she fell to the floor and cried. That's all she could do.

She lost track of time as the fire in her veins spread further and further through her body. Her breathing became ragged and her vision started to blur. "This is the end." She closed her eyes, preparing to let the darkness take over, when she heard something. The front door opened and someone walked in. She knew it was just her fever-brain playing tricks on her, but she saw Max. Not as he was earlier that day, but as he was when they were human. "I'm sorry, Max. I didn't mean to do it. Please forgive me." Tears rolled down her pale cheeks, streaking the blood around her mouth. She shivered violently, as though a cold wind had swept through the room. "I'm sorry. I failed."

Whoever it really was remained silent. They picked her up and carried her away. She clung to them and shut her eyes. Maybe she was dead and the person was her angel, taking her away to whatever peace there was to be found, if there was any.


	11. Chapter 11

**A.N. - I'm sorry it took me a little longer to upload this chapter - honestly,I'm just lazy. Anyhow, I want to continue getting further into Belle's past and the romance. I'd love to get more reviews, so please leave one with any comments. (no flames) thanks :)**

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Song: Charlotte Martin - _Complications_

She forced her heavy eyelids open. The first thing she saw was the familiar pale ceiling of her old room at the compound. Was she dead? Was this her so called peace?

Glancing down, she saw that she was still wearing the same bloodied clothes from the night she was attacked. The blood was no longer red, but a rusty-brown color. She looked around the room in curiosity. Her expression hardened when her eyes met Klaus's. He sat in a chair across from the bed she was lying on with an amused expression painted on his face. She groaned. "Am I in hell?"

He rolled his eyes. "No. You have me to thank for that." He stood up as he spoke, walking over to her with his hands folded behind his back. He looked at her expectantly.

"You saved me?" She shook her head as she tried to make sense of everything. "What changed your mind?"

He stared back at her, trying to mask his emotions. It didn't work - she saw right through him. "What do you mean?" he asked flatly.

She rolled her eyes, knowing he knew exactly what she meant. "Not 24 hours ago you practically left me for dead when you refused to pick up your damn phone and then you suddenly had a change of heart and decided to be the good guy. Why?" She raised an eyebrow as she watched his mind work.

He folded his hands together, flexing his fingers. "I feel that death would be too harsh of a punishment for you." She couldn't ignore the anger in his voice. Granted, Klaus was usually angry, but never really at her.

That upset her, but she tried to ignore it, thinking that would make the pit in her stomach go away. "Punishment? Yeah, I'm sure." She smirked at him, trying to lighten the mood; his eyes softened a little. She sat up and stretched her stiff and slightly numb limbs, feeling like she had been asleep for days. "How long have I been out?"

"Two days."

She laughed under her breath. "Wonderful." She looked down at her bloody clothes again, noticing faint blood stains on her palms as well. "I should get cleaned up." She moved to the side of the bed and pushed herself up. She suddenly felt extremely weak and light-headed. As soon as her feet hit the floor she nearly collapsed. Thankfully, Klaus was quick to catch her.

"You need to feed." He reached for a blood bag that was on the night stand. She took it carefully in her hands - it was about room temperature. She smiled, realizing that he must have been waiting for her to wake up for a few hours, at least.

Instinctively, she uncapped the bag and drained it in seconds. She hadn't expected to be so hungry. When it was empty she put it down, wiping away the blood on her face with the back of her hand. She looked up at him; a hint of embarrassment flashed across her face. "Thanks." She pulled away from his grip and walked towards the bathroom. She lingered in the doorway for a moment, turning back to him. "Are we okay now?" She was unsure if she really wanted to know the answer.

His lips parted for a fraction of a second, like the answer he sought was just on the tip of his tongue. "Perhaps." That made her uneasy. He was the only relatively stable thing in her life at the time; she couldn't lose him. Without another word, he turned and walked out.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, a damp towel wrapped around her body, she discovered a pair of blue jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt in a neat stack at the foot of the bed. She picked them up and sniffed them cautiously; they smelled faintly of Hayley, probably some of the things she could no longer fit from the pregnancy.

Once she was dressed, she turned to check herself in the mirror above the dresser. The sleeves of the shirt were awkwardly long and she had to fold the hem of the jeans three times before she could walk properly. She frowned a little, feeling like the a kid whose mom made them to wear their older cousin's hand-me-downs. She wasn't in a position to be finicky, so she didn't complain. After a few minor adjustments, she decided to head downstairs in search of a drink.

It didn't take long until she discovered the treasure chest of liquor in the Mikaelsons' kitchen. She eyed the dozens of bottles with a hint of disdain, trying to find exactly what she wanted. Eventually she settled on a 175 year old bottle of wine that had a name even she struggled to pronounce.

With the bottle in one hand, she used the other to try to grab a wine glass from the top shelf; someone must have moved them so they were out of her reach. "Damn these T-Rex arms." she muttered. She was up on her tip-toes when she lost her balance - thankfully, someone caught her. "Elijah." She turned around to face him. "My knight in Calvin Klein."

He scoffed, reaching past her to grab a wine glass from the shelf. "It's Armani, actually." He brought the glass down to her level and handed it to her by the stem.

She took it from him and placed it on the granite countertop before she began rummaging through the drawers in pursuit of a corkscrew. "I'm guessing you didn't come in here to bicker about your pompous fashion sense. You want something; what is it?" She glanced at him over her shoulder before continuing to search the drawers.

Elijah reached into the drawer to his right and pulled out a corkscrew like he was magician pulling a rabbit from a top-hat. He clutched it between his thumb and index finger as he passed it to her. "You've always been rather intuitive. Surely you already know what I want to ask you."

She rolled her eyes as she took the cork out of the bottle. "I'm not a mind-reader, Elijah. But, I think I have a good idea. I'm guessing it has something to do with Charlotte and why she's here." She poured the wine into her glass and turned to face him, holding it lightly in her fingers.

"You know more about her intentions than anyone else in this city, so please enlighten me." He locked his eyes on hers.

She brought the glass to her lips and took a sip, waiting a few seconds before replying. "I wish I knew. From what I can tell her only goal is to ruin my life even more than she already has." She noted his confused expression and elaborated. "She's my sire. Because of her, I murdered my parents and siblings when I first turned, aside from Max obviously, and then, being the sadistic bitch she is, she killed my daughter." She took another sip of her wine as she watched Elijah process everything she had just told him; they had never been close so he didn't know very much about her. Belle honestly didn't even remember if she had told him that she had even had a daughter.

"That's..." he trailed off, at a loss for words.

"Really fucked up?" she suggested. "I'm well aware of that. Anyway, I'm going to continue to pursue her until one of us is dead. It's not your problem."

Elijah opened his mouth to speak, but before he could get a syllable out Hayley walked into the room. "Elijah,"

He turned around quickly, like it was an instinct. "Yes?" Belle saw the clear devotion in his eyes when he looked at Hayley.

"Klaus wants to talk to you," she said, drumming her fingers on the wall next to her.

He nodded. "Thank you. I'll speak with him in a moment." A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips - Hayley's lips did the same. Hayley cleared her throat as if to break the tension before she turned and walked away.

When Elijah returned his gaze to Belle she was blatantly smirking. "Is something amusing?"

"Your ignorance." She wagged her eyebrows, taunting him. "You're in love with her, aren't you?"

Caught off guard, he seemed to search his thoughts for an excuse or a quick lie. "I don't know what you're,"

"You are in denial, I get it. You're in love with the mother of your unborn niece or nephew and you don't want Klaus or anyone else to know because you feel guilty." She waved her hand in his direction dismissively. "Relax, I'll keep your secret between the two of us." Despite her seemingly careless attitude to the subject, she really did sympathize with Elijah.

"It's only fair, seeing as I've kept yours for centuries. Although, it's not much of a secret." He kept his voice low, emphasizing the secrecy.

She raised an eyebrow in questioning. "You've been keeping what a secret?" She feared that she had said something to him years before, whether drunk or sober, and forgotten about it; it was impossible to keep up with every conversation she had ever had over the course of her life.

"You're in love with Klaus." He wasn't arrogant about it, just honest.

Elijah had always sought Klaus's redemption, using any positive thing in his life to bring back what humanity he had left. Perhaps Elijah saw her feelings for Klaus as another way to mend him.

Belle stared at him in disbelief. She had always though her feelings had been well hidden - now she knew how wrong she really was. Her mind swirled like a tornado, distraught at the thought of anyone else knowing of her secret. She couldn't even begin to imagine what to say to Klaus if he knew - she couldn't even think of what to say to Elijah.

So, she did what any rational girl would do: she took her wine and fled the room like it was on fire and made her way to one of the upstairs balconies, maybe the roof. She had to distract herself from the thoughts that gnawed at her subconscious, trying desperately to break free. She wouldn't allow them to. If she admitted it to herself completely then she would no longer be able to live in the precious bubble of denial she had been in for so long. She wasn't sure if she or Klaus could handle the truth.


	12. Chapter 12

**A.N.- If you liked this chapter and/or have any questions or comments then please review, thanks :)**

**Also, I'm trying to add in a few elements from the show, as you'll find in this chapter. However, I'm still not following the show's plot - I prefer going in my own direction.**

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Song: Taylor Swift - _Wildest Dreams_

Belle rummaged through the closet in search of something white, a color she despised and rarely wore - many of her childhood dresses had been white and she had always hated them.

It was the day of New Orleans' annual Casket Girls Festival and she only had seven hours until the celebration would begin. New Orleans was know for its parties and parades, one of the things she had always loved. Each festival was packed with history and culture, not to mention the drunk tourists that made perfect party favors.

She huffed once she decided to give up. "I guess I have to go dress shopping," she muttered as she pulled the closet doors shut.

As she walked down the hallway, she heard Elijah's voice coming from Hayley's room. She couldn't resist snooping, or rather "attending to her curiosity" as she preferred to put it.

Elijah stood behind Hayley after he zipped up the back of her dress. "I think you look lovely." He smiled before he began unzipping the dress for her. Hayley clutched it to her chest.

Belle, still lingering in the doorway, cleared her throat obnoxiously. Hayley and Elijah whipped their heads around to look at her. Elijah's hands slipped in the process, causing him to rip the back of the dress a little.

Hayley sighed. "Damn." Belle wasn't sure whether Hayley was upset about the dress tearing or about her moment with Elijah being ruined.

"What are you doing, Belinda?" Elijah glared at her like they were two children on a beach and she had just demolished his sandcastle.

She chuckled, shaking her head at them. "I was going to ask Hayley if she needed a dress since I'm about to go get one myself. Clearly you do now." She gestured to Hayley.

"Yeah, just give me a minute to change." Hayley grabbed a pair of leggings and a sweater from a pile on her bed. She went into her bathroom and shut the door.

Belle smirked at Elijah before she turned and left. She passed by Rebekah just a few steps down the hall.

"If you're going to get a dress I'm go with you," Rebekah said, standing in Belle's path with a slightly self-righteous posture.

Belle rolled her eyes. "Please, feel free to just invite yourself."

Rebekah shrugged. "I am the reason behind this whole Casket Girls commemoration after all."

"Yes, we've all heard the story a million times. Once upon a time you selflessly rescued a group of helpless, innocent girls. Blah blah blah." She didn't try to hide the irritation in her voice. Hopefully Rebekah would get annoyed and decide to go shopping on her own time. To her dismay, Rebekah stubbornly refused to budge. Belle exhaled loudly. "We're leaving as soon as Hayley's ready. I'm driving."

Hayley rounded the corner, adjusting her shirt a little. "I'm ready." She eyed the two vampires expectantly.

Belle nodded and they headed out. However, before they reached the exit Klaus walked by, eyebrows raised in suspicion. "Where are you lot off to?" He glanced at Hayley apprehensively.

"Relax, we're just going down the street to find dresses for tonight. I'll babysit Hayley if that's what you're worried about," Belle said, glancing back at the pregnant werewolf.

Hayley seemed annoyed. "Yeah, I'm not a child and I'm not a prisoner."

"I never said you were, love. By all means, carry on." There was a twinge of uncertainty in his voice. It wasn't that he was concerned about Hayley so much as he was concerned about the baby she was carrying.

Belle gave him a reassuring look that said, "don't worry, I'll keep her safe". He nodded. They continued their path to the front gate and walked down to the end of the block where Belle's car was parked.

They got in drove for a few minutes until they pulled up in front of a small dress shop at the edge of the French Quarter. It was packed with other women doing their last-minute shopping for the celebration. There were racks full of nothing but white dresses throughout the entire store.

"Let's not take forever. That means you, Beks" The three girls headed off in their own directions. It was a small store; they could easily find one another if needed. Belle kept an eye on Hayley as she reviewed the selection of dresses in the maternity section.

It didn't take Belle long to find her dress - she knew she'd probably hate it anyway. She brought it up to the counter to pay.

Standing near the counter was a little girl, no older than 6 or 7 with long black hair and brown eyes. She was holding up a little white dress, admiring the lace detail. Belle swallowed hard, painfully being reminded of her daughter. The girl's mother walked up behind her and grabbed her by the arm gently. "Come on Jenna, we have to go." The girl turned around and nodded. Her mother took the dress from her small hands and hung it back up on the rack. The woman met Belle's eyes for a second, politely smiling. Belle smiled back, trying to hide the envy that welled up inside her.

"Miss," the cashier called, pulling Belle from her daze. She smiled apologetically and handed the man the dress and swiped her credit card once it was scanned. She spotted Hayley on the opposite end of the store and walked over her.

"Need any help?"

Hayley was putting a stack of at least four dresses back on the rack. She turned to Belle, looking a little defeated. "Yes. I've tried on almost every dress in my size and I can't find anything I like."

Belle nodded understandingly. "Well, fear not. I'm sure I can find you something."

Hayley smiled. "Thanks."

They searched for half an hour until they finally found the perfect dress. "This is the one." Hayley grasped either end of the skirt and spinning a little to get a better look.

Belle smiled a little. "Great. You go change and then I'll pay for it. But first, I need to go find Original Barbie."

She found Rebekah at the front of the store. Rebekah, as expected, wasn't done yet. "Come on princess. It's a festival, not a wedding. Hurry up." She tapped her foot impatiently.

Rebekah scoffed. "I've never understood where you get off telling me what to do - I'm an Original, therefore I'm older and stronger than you." She turned to face Belle with her arms crossed over her chest and pouty lips.

"Okay, you've got the Original part right, but we both know I'm still stronger."

Rebekah stepped closer to Belle, trying to intimidate her. "You're a little too confident. Perhaps we should test your theory."

The offer tempted her, but her rationality kicked in just in time. Rebekah usually only acted that way when she had fought with someone earlier. It always put her in an unusually aggressive mood. Belle's money was on Marcel. "You can just stay here and walk home, okay? I'll take Hayley home."

Rebekah just nodded and continued flipping through the racks. Belle found Hayley, paid for the dress, and the two of them left.

They pulled into Belle's parking space little while later. Before they got out, Belle looked at Hayley. "Hey," Hayley turned to face her, curiosity sparked in her eyes. "You seem like the kind of girl who knows what she wants, so I'll give you a piece of advice I wish someone had given me. Don't be afraid to do what scares you. Go for what you want, before it's too late."

Hayley seemed to understand what Belle meant without her having to actually come out and say it. She nodded before opening her door and stepping out. Belle did the same.

"You should take your own advice," Hayley said suddenly.

Belle was a little dumbstruck. She had taught many people life lessons over the years, but no one had ever turned one around on her. She couldn't help but think that maybe Hayley was right.

The sun had set and the festival was in full swing. Belle stood in front of the mirror as she smoothed out her dress. The lace hem came down to an inch or two above her knees. The dress had a deep-v neckline and its sleeves were long and laced and went a little past her wrists. She didn't love it, but she didn't hate it. At least it looks good, she thought. She headed downstairs and went outside where the celebration was.

The city was alive with color and music. She found Klaus standing along the street as the parade marched by. "These festivals are probably my favorite thing about this city," she said, not taking her eyes off the parade.

"Is that why you came back here? For the festivals?" Bitterness dripped from every word.

She swallowed hard. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you my true intentions. Really." Her eyes wandered to his stone face.

He continued to avoid her eyes. "You waited eight hundred years before you started lying to me. That's longer than most I suppose." He seemed unsure of how to feel, somewhere between angry and understanding.

"I didn't want to. I just, I couldn't give up on it. I still can't." She chewed her bottom lip nervously. "Can you forgive me?" No one could deny the desperation that filled her voice.

He didn't answer, he simply walked away. She saw uncertainty mixed with yearning flash across his face before he had turned away.

Hayley's words rang in her head, "You should take your own advice." For a moment she was ready to listen to her and chase after him, but fear struck her. She felt stuck. As much as she wanted to, she just couldn't bring herself to do it. She was a coward and she cursed herself for it.

Defeated, she turned and walked in the opposite direction. She wouldn't let him ruin her evening.

Apparently Klaus had the same mentality. A few minutes later, she saw him drinking with Marcel and some nightwalkers, seeming to be having the time of his life. Normally in this situation she would go find Max, but she knew that would be a mistake. Besides, she didn't even know where he was.

She did, however, manage to find Josh. He was drinking alone against a brick wall looking broody.

She walked up to him, looking him over. "Why the long face?" She was both curious and concerned.

He took a drink of his beer before answering. "Your brother dumped me." He looked at her pathetically.

She frowned. "I'm sorry. What happened?" She had played the shoulder-to-cry-on more times than she cared to remember when it came to Max's exes.

"Why don't you ask him?"

Belle scoffed, leaning along the wall by him. "We're still not on speaking terms. I haven't seen him for a week." She exhaled deeply. They exchanged familiar upset expressions before Josh reached into the case of beer next to him and offered it to her. She had never liked cheap liquor - it tasted like river water to her, but desperate times called for desperate measures. She decided she would just stick with the one.

About two hours later she found herself back at the compound in the clothes she had worn earlier that day, sitting by her window and looking out at the city, deep in thought. She wasn't sure whether everyone else was still out or had already returned home. Honestly, she wouldn't notice either way.

She turned her head and looked around the room she didn't feel comfortable calling her own. The place she had once called home, the man she had once called friend, now seemed foreign. She felt unwanted, like she had over-stayed her welcome even though she had only been staying at the compound for a week. The way Klaus had looked at her earlier that night had ignited something inside her, pulling her back to reality. For once in what felt like a long time she felt like she could think clearly. She decided that she would be better off leaving. She would find Charlotte, who was still in the city, kill her, and leave. For once, she had to do what was right for her. So, she packed up what she had with her and headed downstairs.

Just before she reached the exit, she ran into Klaus. She was surprised to find him nearly sober. "Where are you going?" He seemed to notice her luggage and determined expression

"Back to my apartment. I've been staying here for a week, so I figured it's about time I head back. Besides, I'm sure Max is long gone," she lied. She wasn't lying to him really, more so to herself.

He didn't buy it. "Don't lie to me, Belle. Why are you leaving?"

She scoffed, moving around him. "Don't act like you care." She walked as fast as she could to her car. It was pouring rain so she doubted Klaus would follow her out. She threw her suitcase into the trunk of her car, but before she could get in she saw Klaus chasing after her. He stopped about fifty feet away from her. "What the hell are you doing?" The rain had completely soaked through her clothes by that point.

"You didn't answer me," he said, raising his voice, though she could have heard him clearly even if he had whispered.

"Yes I did." She was thankful no one else was around to see them arguing in the pouring rain like they were in The Notebook.

"You lied to me. I want the truth."

She laughed, though nothing he said was amusing to her. "The truth, you want the truth? Fine, here's your truth. I don't think I can stand being around you anymore."

He looked puzzled. "Why do you think that?" The wind was picking up, drowning out their words in its furry.

"Because your mood swings are driving me absolutely insane! You're hot one minute and cold the next. Do you forgive me, or don't you? Are we still friends or aren't we? Just tell me because I can't tell for myself." She felt angry tears stinging her eyes. She was glad he couldn't tell.

"What is it you want me to say?" He was clearly becoming more agitated by the second. They both were.

"I don't know! That's why I'm standing out here in the pouring rain like Rachel freaking McAdams! I don't know what I want!" She threw up her hands in frustration.

He took a few steps forward. "I understand now why you don't lie - you're terrible at it. You do know what you want, so just say it." His voice was kinder than before, but his annoyance was still there. "Say it."

Her mouth gaped slightly. She searched her thoughts for the right words, but she couldn't find any. She had waited centuries for this moment and now she had stage-fright. Part of her wanted to laugh. "I, I can't."

He raised an eyebrow. "Can't, or won't?" His patience was wearing thin.

She shook her head. It was her turn to walk away instead of answering. She had forgotten about her car, about where she was going. All she could think about was avoiding the words she was most afraid to say.

"Where are you going?"

"Away from you." She trudged on through the rain. Tears were streaming down her face, disguised as raindrops.

"Belle," he called.

She whipped around to face him. "What?" she yelled. Her voice broke like glass.

Before she could register what was happening, he was right in front of her, just an inch away. He didn't speak. She didn't speak; she didn't get the chance to. He crashed his lips against hers with enough force to move Heaven and Earth. He kissed her with a passion she had never felt before, more powerful than anything she could imagine in her dizziest daydreams.

And she kissed him back with everything she had. She wrapped her hands around the back of his neck, entangling her fingers in his hair as she pulled him down to her. He put his hands on her waist and pulled her even closer.

Eight hundred years of truth came rushing to the surface. He didn't have to say it; he loved her. As deeply and purely as she loved him. That was all that mattered.


	13. Chapter 13

**A.N.- I'm glad everyone really liked the last chapter! I had fun writing it. Since the last chapter was pretty long I've made this one shorter.**

**Quick disclosure: I don't write smut, so everything is vague and TV-14. Enjoy :)**

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Song: The Civil Wars - _Dust to Dust_

Belle was practically paralyzed with happiness. She was lying in bed, Klaus's bed, and he was next to her - they were facing one another. The storm had passed and the room was silent, aside from the sounds of their breathing and gentle heartbeats. His eyes were closed as he slept, perfectly content.

She, on the other hand, couldn't sleep if her life depended on it. Her eyes were tired, but her mind reeled endlessly as thoughts of what had happened just a few hours earlier consumed her.

The wind continued to howl and the rain continued to pour, but they didn't care. They were caught up in the moment, entangled in the other's embrace. Klaus pulled away, keeping his hands on her waist. Belle whimpered quietly at the loss of contact "We should get inside." He pressed his forehead against hers, raindrops trickling down his face.

Despite how much she wanted to stay in that moment, she knew that she wanted him more. She nodded, struggling to find her voice. "Okay." He took her hand and they ran back inside, first at a human's pace, then at a vampire's.

They managed to get up to his room without running into anyone, which was surprising. She wouldn't have cared either way; she wasn't embarrassed.

As soon as he closed the door, she found herself pressed up against the wall. His eyes gleamed with mischief as his lips formed his signature smirk. She moved a wet curl away from her face as she smirked back at him. Klaus took her small hands in one of his own and pinned them above her head before crashing his lips against hers.

She wrapped one of her legs around him and he held onto her firmly as she wrapped the other around his hip. "Thank God for vampire-strength," she thought. He chuckled - either he had a good idea about what she was thinking, or her guard was down and he had read her thoughts. She didn't have time to think about it before he moved her to the bed.

They helped each other out of their soaked clothes, tossing them carelessly onto the floor in random directions.

Belle thought back to their night together in New York and how different it was from this one. They weren't fuelled primarily by liquor or by lust, but by passion. Pure, undisputable passion that burned brighter and hotter than any star in the galaxy. She knew it and he knew it. It wasn't the beginning of the end, as she had once feared. No, it was the start of something.

She smiled to herself, reaching a hand up to stroke his face ever so slightly. He must have been a light sleeper, unlike her, because his eyes fluttered open at her touch. "You should be asleep. It's late." His voice thick with sleep.

She shook her head. "I'm afraid to go to sleep." Her eyes flickered away from his for a second before returning.

Seeming concerned, he blinked a few times to wake himself up a little more. "Why?" He reached out and took her hands in his own, pulling them to his chest. She smiled as she felt the warmth that radiated from him.

Her eyes were locked on his; they were both honest and gentle. "Because I'm afraid that when I wake up tomorrow this will all have been a dream, and I don't want it to be."

He gave her hands a gentle squeeze. "I promise you that it won't." He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips before drifting back to the comforting arms of sleep. She noticed how innocent he looked when he slept, no longer the so-called big bad hybrid that many people feared and despised. He was just Klaus, her Klaus. She smiled at the thought. This strong, ruthless, beautiful man was hers and she was his.

Her eyes were too heavy to stay open any longer. She leaned her head against his chest before falling asleep.

The next morning, she surprisingly awoke before Klaus did. She was tempted to go back to sleep, but an idea popped into her head that she just couldn't resist putting into action.

She got out of bed as quickly and as quietly as physically possible. She gathered her clothes and slipped on her bra, shirt, and panties before he started to stir. She dashed into his bathroom to hide, waiting for him to wake up. She was going to give him a taste of his own medicine so he'd know how it felt to wake up alone, like she had to back in 1922.

He stretched his arms out in front of him, reaching for someone that was no longer there. He opened his eyes which were filled with confusion. His brows knit together as he sat up and looked around the room. It was only funny for about three tenths of a second. His confusion quickly turned to hurt, which would no doubt turn to anger if she hid any longer.

She poked her head out from the door frame. A playful grin stretched across her lips. "Morning."

He smiled at her, his expression quickly softening. "Good morning." He sat up straighter and folded his arms behind his head. "What are you doing?"

She walked back to the bed and flopped down next to him. She propped herself up by her elbow as she let her eyes briefly wander over his exposed torso before looking into his eyes. "I was giving you a taste of what it's like when someone sneaks out on you." His expression hardened a little. "It's not fun, is it?"

"You can't let things go, can you?" His eyes were locked on hers.

She immediately regretted her actions. Seeing him happy was a rare thing and she didn't want to ruin it.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, avoiding his eyes.

He gently grabbed her chin with his thumb and index finger and forced her to look into his apologetic eyes. "I know I shouldn't have done what I did then, and I'm sorry. Hurting you was the last thing I wanted to do." He grazed his fingers along her cheek. She smiled, unable to stay mad at him.

"I forgive you." Against her better judgement, she didn't press the subject further.

She leaned in and planted a light kiss on his lips. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in, kissing her deeper. She was soon intoxicated by him as he trailed kisses down her neck, nipping at her collarbone. He gripped the hem of her shirt as he tugged it over her head. She pulled his back to her and kissed him again.

The moment was short-lived; a loud knock interrupted them when it echoed from the door.

They pulled away and groaned in irritation. "What?" they demanded in unison.

Marcel cautiously opened the door. His mouth gaped at the scene that was unfolded before him. He quickly snapped it shut. "Sorry to...interrupt, but there's something you might wanna see, Belle." He seemed a little embarrassed at the sight of her in bed with Klaus in her underwear, though she was unphased by it.

She sighed. "This better be good." She threw the covers off of her side, grabbed her shirt from the foot of the bed and got up, not caring who saw her as she walked in nothing but her bra and panties to Klaus's bathroom. She slammed the door shut.

While she was changing, she listened to the conversation that was taking place just beyond the door. "What does she want?" she heard Klaus ask.

"I don't know, she won't say," Marcel said in a low voice.

Her interest peaked. Who were they talking about. She opened the door, tugging down her shirt. "What's going on?"

Klaus grabbed a gray Henley from his dresser and pulled it on.

Marcel gestured for her to follow him. "Come with me." He turned around and headed for the door. She turned to Klaus for some sign, but found none. What was going on?

Klaus trailed behind Belle as she followed Marcel, who led them downstairs into one of the spare rooms. He paused at the doors and turned to face her. "I think you two already know each other." There was something mysterious about his tone. Unable to wait any longer, she shoved Marcel to the side and flung open the wide double-doors. An audible gasp escaped her lips as she came face-to-face with the person she hated most in the world, the pain of her existence, her mortal enemy, Charlotte.

Her fire-red hair covered half of her face as she looked up from the chair she was tied to. She smiled weakly at Belle. "Hello deary. Long time, no see."


	14. Chapter 14

A.N.- Happy almost Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans :) I'm thankful for the support I've gotten for this story so far! I have so much more in store, so keep it up. I'm sorry my updates haven't been very consistent. I promise I'll try to update every Sunday like I used to. Please review.

Also, follow my twitter at HaylijahIsLife for updates about my stories and just fangirling in general ;) Thanks

Song: Lorde - Everybody Wants To Rule The World

Belle's lips curled up into a sadistic grin that mirrored Charlotte's. "Well, this day just keeps getting better." She folded her arms over her chest as she looked down on her enemy. Her self-righteous attitude was all too obvious. She turned to Marcel. "A word?"

He nodded.

She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him aside, speaking in a hushed tone. "Where did you find her? More importantly, how did you manage to get her here?"

He was quick to respond. "I've had Josh and a few of my guys out looking for her for a couple of days."

"At my request," Klaus added, grinning arrogantly, earning an eye roll from Belle. She couldn't help but smile. He was once again embracing her revenge fantasy. Now, thanks to him, it was a reality.

"Anyway, they found her at Rousseau's around two o'clock this morning," Marcel said.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "So she was just there?" It wasn't adding up. Charlotte had evaded her for centuries. Why would she surrender now? "I want to talk to Josh."

Marcel called for Josh, who was just a few rooms away. He jogged over, confused and a little surprised. "What's up?"

She looked him over, seemingly sizing him up. How could a baby vampire, let alone one so average, be capable of capturing a thousand-year-old monster like Charlotte? She doubted he could even take on Marcel, who had less than two centuries on him. "How did you do it?"

His mouth gaped slightly as he rummaged through his thoughts to find the right words. "Uhh," After a few seconds he simply shrugged. "Me and a few other guys just vervained her, tied her up, and brought her here. No big deal." He spoke casually, like a kid who had just aced a test, but was trying to not brag about it.

She knew he was lying, but her mind was focused on one thing at that moment - ripping out Charlotte's cold, black heart. "Fine, whatever. We'll talk more about this later." She waved him off before spinning around and walking back toward the room Charlotte was being held in. When she was just a step away, Klaus blocked her path. She refrained from rolling her eyes. "Yes?"

"Will you need any help?" She knew that the real meaning behind his words was, "let me do it for you". Klaus wasn't just a control freak - he was also overprotective, especially since they were now together, though she didn't know what "together" meant for them at the moment.

Confidently, she shook her head. "She's weak and tied up. What could she possibly do to hurt me? I think going up against a raccoon would be more risky than going up against her right now. I'll be fine." She knew he was still uneasy, nevertheless, he stepped out of her way to let her pass.

She approached the room with zeal and closed them once she was inside. After securely locking the doors, she turned to her target. "You don't know how long I've waited for this day." She sneered, slowly advancing.

Charlotte rolled her eyes. "Are you going to sweet talk me, or are you going to kill me?" Her patience was clearly razor-thin. Lucky for Belle, she had no intention of dragging this out longer than she needed to.

She walked around to the back of the chair and broke the chains. They fell to the floor with a metallic clatter.

Charlotte stared at the broken shackles in confusion. "What are you doing?"

Belle walked back around to stand in front of Charlotte, placing a hand roughly on her shoulder. "Unlike you, I believe in a fair fight. Get up." She took a few steps back and tapped her foot impatiently. She had waited nine-hundred years and she wouldn't wait so much as a day longer.

Weakly, Charlotte pulled herself up and rubbed her sore wrists. She scoffed. "Right, the werewolves. Silly me for overlooking the detail that the cure for a bite was right at your fingertips." Charlotte looked down at Belle, a good 5 inches taller than her, at least. Adversely, Belle appeared to be the more intimidating one.

Belle shrugged superciliously. "You can't get rid of me that easily. Now, let's get this over with. Do you want the first hit?" She thought perhaps she was enjoying herself too much, but decided otherwise. It was her revenge and she had the right to enjoy it.

Charlotte threw a punch at Belle's face, but she wasn't fast enough. She staggered forward as her fist hit the space where Belle had just been. She appeared behind her and swiftly kicked her in the back, causing her to topple to the floor like a house of cards. Belle then proceeded to kick her in the ribs so she was on her back, facing the ceiling. "Kick a woman while she's down, why don't you?" She groaned in pain as she clutched her side.

Honestly, Belle was disappointed at how things were playing out. She hadn't expected that fighting Charlotte would be so...easy. She had spent years training vigorously, preparing for this moment. Maybe it wasn't just the vervain; maybe Charlotte was just weak. Belle had never faced her head-on, so she had nothing to compare it to. Belle grabbed her by her shoulders and threw her against he wall. Charlotte winced in pain, but didn't make a single advance. "What the hell is wrong with you? Why aren't you fighting back?" She was beyond the point of being annoyed.

Charlotte laughed, taking a shaky step forward. "Have you ever wondered why I've spent all these years hiding behind my pawns and guards? I thought you were smart." She shook her head as she continued to laugh quietly to herself.

"Is that why you turned me? Because you thought I was smart?" The anger in her eyes dissipated ever so slightly as a glimmer of desperation shone through. "Why me?"

Charlotte then burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter, a sound that made Belle's skin crawl. Her throaty cackling trailed off after a few seconds. "Honestly, I was just bored."

Belle gawked at her in confusion. "You were just...bored?" She snorted. Was this really happening? She was tempted to pinch herself to see if she would awaken up from this...whatever it was. Dream? Nightmare? Drunken hallucination? Her confusion turned to anger in a flash. She plunged her fist into Charlotte's chest and wrapped her hand around her heart. "Who in their right mind turns someone into a vampire and murders a child because they're bored?!" she nearly yelled. If she hadn't been so consumed with anger, she knew she would be crying.

"Is that what you've been so goddamned angry about all this time? Because I murdered your little brat?" She winced as Belle's grip on her heart tightened.

Belle's face was now mere inches away from Charlotte's. Belle could feel her trembling in fear. "I'm angry because when you turned me into this monster," she paused to calm herself enough to finish what she was saying. "You ruined everything. My life wasn't perfect, but it was fine, I was fine. I was happy."

"But how long would it have lasted? You may have lived another ten years, fifteen if you were lucky. Your daughter would have grown up and left you before then and you would have been alone. You would have died alone." Charlotte spat the word "alone" at her like it was poison. "And do you know where you would be today? In the ground, six feet under. You should thank me for saving you from that life, an ordinary life. Don't tell me that you're unhappy now because I know it's a lie. You love being a vampire, admit it. I did you a favor," she choked out.

"And what about Max? Why him?" It was something she had always wanted to know. Out of all four of her siblings, why had Charlotte turned Max?

Charlotte stared back at her blankly. "I have my reasons."

"I'm guessing you're not going to share them with me." She was through with playing games. Charlotte's silence was the only answer she needed. "Well, I guess you're useless now. Fun's over."

Belle was about to rip out her heart when she objected. "Wait," Fear filled her hazel eyes. "Don't kill me. Please." A few drops of blood spewed from her mouth onto Belle's porcelain face.

A laugh escaped Belle's lips. "You destroyed my life and my family, and yet you have the nerve to beg for your life?" A fiendish smirk spread across her face as the fear in Charlotte's eyes magnified. "You're pathetic." With that she tore Charlotte's beating heart from her chest - her lifeless body slumped against the wall before sliding to the floor.

Belle stared blankly at the heart in her hand as it slipped from her fingers and fell next to Charlotte's grayed corpse. She wiped some of the blood off on her pants, took a few steps back, and went back to the door.

Klaus was waiting outside, his brow furrowed in concern. She said nothing to him as she walked by, a blank expression painted on her features to mask the agony inside. "Belle," he called after her. Still, she said nothing. He followed her as she headed up to the roof where she could be alone. It had always been her favorite place when she needed an escape.

Once she reached the roof she stood at the edge, looking out at the city. Normally when she would go up there, time seemed to stand still, but not today. The world felt like it was spinning faster than it ever had as her mind reeled.

She wrapped her hands around her waist as she tried to hold herself together. Her right hand was over the place on her ribcage where one simple word was inked into her skin, Lilith.

Klaus's footsteps came up from behind her as a single tear slipped down her cheek. He stayed quiet as he stood by her side, looking out at the people and cars that passed them by. No words were exchanged between them as the seconds turned into minutes. He didn't have to say anything - he just glanced at her for a moment out of the corner of his deep blue eyes. And that was all she needed.

Max looked out a large window at the empty yard that spread beyond the house for acres. He sipped at the drink in his hand before setting it down on the fireplace by his side. He heard a woman's footsteps echo behind him as her stilettos clicked against the wood floors. "Did everything with Charlotte work out?" he asked her as she stood beside him.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She looked no older than forty. A few gray hairs mingled with the rest of her ebony curls. Her piercing blue eyes stared blankly forward.

A smirk tugged the corners of her lips. "Of course." Her voice was sharp and icy. "Now, we must wait for the right time." They slowly turned to face one another. "I'm glad to have you back, my son." He hid his uncertainty behind a forced a smile, and nodded.


	15. Chapter 15

**A.N.- I'm working on a Christmas Delena (TVD, for those who don't know) one-shot. Anyway, this is just a quick flashback and a little holiday fluffiness before I get into the action. Enjoy :) Happy Holidays. Please review**

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Song: Front Porch Step - _I'll be home for Christmas_

_Ten-year-old Belle looked up at the pale sky, mesmerized by the tiny white flecks that trickled down, snowflakes. They clung to her long, untamed curls and thick lashes like stars scattered across the sky on a clear night. This wasn't the first time she had seen snow of course, but its beauty never ceased to amaze her. She couldn't believe that nature could create something so beautiful, so pure. As a breeze cut through the trees goose bumps rose on her exposed skin and she shivered._

_She was pulled from her miniscule moment of peace when her mother's voice pierced the silence. "Belinda, come here!" Belle quickly whipped her head around. Her mother stood in the open doorway of their little wooden cottage with her hands on her hips and a displeased scowl. This was a look Belle had grown accustomed to years before - her mother was always unhappy._

_With her head hanging slightly, trying to hide her fearful eyes, she approached her. "Yes, mother?" she asked in a quiet voice. She looked up into her mother's angry eyes. Their color was identical to Belle's, though she refused to think that she and her mother shared anything other than blood._

_Before she could even blink, Belle felt a sharp sting on her left cheek as her mother struck her with enough force to make her head jerk to the right. Tears burned her eyes as she brought a hand up to her cheek. The blow left a faint red hand print behind. "You are supposed to be looking after your brothers and sisters." Belle could smell alcohol on her breath. "Stupid, disrespectful girl."_

_Belle instinctively began chewing her right thumbnail, a nervous habit she had formed when she was a toddler that she never managed to break. She nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry." She avoided her mother's eyes and walked into the house quickly, her thumbnail still held firmly between her teeth as she mindlessly chewed it._

_The twins, Maxwell and Audrey, were seven. The next youngest was Colton - he was five. And the youngest, Sabrina, was only three. If she hadn't been distraught, she would have smiled at the sight before her - Max and Colton were roughhousing, as usual, and Audrey was trying to teach Sabrina how to braid hair. She loved seeing them like this, normal. It was times like this that made her happiest._

_She quickly separated the boys from their infantile brawl and settled them down to the floor. Her father soon returned home from a hunt, a blade in one hand and a mangled animal in the other. Belle scrunched her nose in disgust as a few drops of blood fell to the floor._

_When her siblings sat around the table waiting for dinner to be ready, she found herself wishing that her mother had died when disease struck their tiny village just weeks before - then it would just be Belle, her siblings, and their father. Her mother had in fact gotten sick, which had filled Belle with a shameful hope, but, to her dismay, she had recovered quickly. Years before, when the idea had first crossed her mind, Belle vowed to never tell another soul. It would her personal little secret that she would take to the grave._

_"Belinda, Audrey, come help with the meal." Audrey and Belle shared a knowing look before going to help her; if they didn't listen they would surely be punished_.

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Christmas was rapidly approaching, just days away and yet the compound lacked any sign of Yuletide cheer. There wasn't a tree or a strand of garland in sight - Belle wasn't having it.

Most holidays bored her to tears, but she loved the atmosphere of Christmastime. It seemed like for just these few weeks out of the year people were smiling and kind to one another, even she found it hard to be gloomy. Besides, she had gotten her revenge, not to mention that she was now with the man of her dreams. For once in a very long time she was genuinely happy.

Well, for the most part anyway. There was still a hole in her heart where Max should be. Her only living family member seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth altogether. She knew Christmas wouldn't the same without him.

Nevertheless, she was determined to bring some holiday festivities to the compound, even if it was just a tree. She and Josh had picked it out from a tree lot on the outskirts of town, a ten-foot Douglas Fir that would be perfect to put in the courtyard. It was too big to mount on top of the SUV they had driven, so Josh compelled a worker to let him borrow one of the company's trucks. She returned to the compound with Josh on her heels and they unloaded the tree - for two vampires it wasn't very difficult. They placed it in the center of the courtyard. "A little to the right." She wanted nothing but perfection. "Okay, we're good." They took a few steps back to admire their work.

Josh smiled a little. "It looks good. Big, but good. How are you gonna decorate it?"

She scoffed, turning him with a look of both confusion and annoyance. "What the hell do you mean how am I going to decorate it? Aren't you going to stay and help?"

He shifted uncomfortably with his hands in his pockets. "I just...I have stuff to do. I mean, I like hanging out with you and all, but,"

"Don't worry about it. If you have plans, please, go. I'll just have the others help me." She forced a smile.

He nodded before leaving. She took a quick look at the tree before setting out on a hunt for Christmas decorations and ornaments for the tree. Surely Klaus had some stashed away somewhere, maybe the attic.

At the back of the house, near Klaus's room, was entrance to the attic. She climbed a rickety little ladder to the dark and cobweb-infested attic. After browsing through boxes upon boxes, she finally found what she was looking for. "What are you doing?" Klaus asked from behind her; she jumped when his deep voice broke the silence.

She spun around so quickly she almost gave herself whiplash. She wanted to laugh at the sight of Klaus, all six feet of him, crouched down on his knees in this claustrophobic nightmare of an attic. "Dammit," she exclaimed, running a hand through her hair. "You startled me."

"Sorry, love. What are you doing?" His eyes shifted from hers to the dusty box she had a hand on.

She pulled the box out from the pile to get a better look at it. It was colorfully labeled Useless holiday. She smirked when she recognized Klaus's handwriting. "Looking for this. Did you see the tree I bought?" She handed the first box to him before turning around to retrieve the second and third.

He sighed with amused uncertainty. "Yes. It's... Large." She knew he didn't like it, not that she had expected him to. When it came to Christmas, or any holiday really, he was a...Grinch.

She rolled her eyes. "It's over-the-top. I don't half-ass anything and neither do you. I figured I'd get the best tree there." After she pulled the other boxes out she handed one of them to Klaus, who reluctantly took it, and held the other one herself. "Come on. We have a gigantic tree to decorate, and yes, you are helping."

He scoffed, taking his boxes back downstairs. "Since when did you start barking orders?" His lips stretched into a smile that gave her butterflies. That was something that just wouldn't go away, no matter how many years passed. She smiled and followed him out of the attic.

On their way downstairs to the tree, Klaus announced that everyone else had to help, no exceptions. Within an hour the tree was nearing completion and the banisters were covered with sliver and gold garland and white Christmas lights. The tree was covered with red, silver, and gold ornaments of different shapes and sizes and Elijah and Marcel had wrapped a long red ribbon around the entire tree.

Belle was hanging a gold star ornament when she glanced over at the entryway that led outside to the street, a familiar figure before her eyes. "Max?" He stood looking directly at her, hands in the pockets of his coat. She started to approach him, but when she blinked he was gone.

She flashed to the spot he had stood just seconds before and went out to the street. If he had in fact been there, not just a figment of her lonely thoughts, there were no signs of him besides the faint aroma of his favorite cologne.

Disappointed and confused, she turned around and walked back inside. She could hear the familiar sound of Klaus and Rebekah bickering; something about what to put on top of the tree. She felt like the Christmas joy had been sucked out of her as loneliness crept in, no longer in the mood to decorate a tree or tell Rebekah that she needed to move the silver icicle ornament up a branch because it was too close to the red ball. She just wanted to see her little brother, to talk to him and apologize.

So Belle went upstairs and called Max for the fiftieth time and left him a message, saying that she was sorry and needed to talk to him. She hoped that he would listen to it - maybe then he would come back.


	16. Chapter 16

**A.N.- I'm on winter break for 2 weeks now so I'll definitely be uploading more chapters. This story is so close to having 100 followers! If you aren't following, be sure to do so. Please review and enjoy!**

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Song: Runaground _\- Eyes Open_ (cover)

What qualifies as winter in Louisiana was nearing its end as March started. Like the faux-winter season, Hayley's pregnancy would soon be over.

Klaus turned one of the numerous spare rooms into a charming little nursery for the baby; Belle was still trying to wrap her head around the idea of Klaus becoming a father. It was a fantasy she had always had - a fantasy that could never become a reality.

Though she had come to terms with that long ago, an ember of jealousy flickered in the back of her mind as she sat on the couch across from Hayley as they discussed names for the miracle baby. A book entitled "1,000 Nordic Baby Names" was propped on top of Hayley's round stomach. Having no luck in the baby-naming department so far, Hayley decided give some "different" names a try.

"Annika?" Hayley scoffed as she eyed the book. They were halfway through the book and so far nothing sounded remotely appealing. "Ngaio? Is that even a girl's name? Or even an actual name for that matter?" Her eyes flickered up to Belle's.

A giggle slipped though her lips. "It's unisex, I believe."

Hayley shrugged before looking back at the book. "Kysa?" Her nose wrinkled in disgust.

Belle smirked. "Hmm, I'm pretty sure I used to date a man named Kysa. Well, not really date..." She trailed off, her smirk widening. For a moment Hayley looked puzzled, as if she was trying to figure out whether Belle was being sarcastic or serious. Honestly, Belle wasn't entirely sure herself.

Hayley rolled her eyes. "So that's a big no." She let out an exasperated sigh before closing the book. "God, I'm done with these names." She tossed the book onto the coffee table. "What am I going to do?" she asked, glaring hopelessly at the ceiling.

"Well, if I were you I'd wait until the baby's born. Once you see her for the first time you'll know." Belle couldn't help but smile.

Hayley looked into her eyes with a hint sympathy. "That might work." She shrugged.

Elijah cleared his throat, standing in the doorframe with as much poise and composure as ever; Belle saw Hayley flush ever-so-slightly. They turned to face him. "Belle, there's someone here to see you." Both his expression and voice were unreadable.

Her immediate thought was Max. She sprung from her seat and followed Elijah to one of the sitting rooms. Whoever it was Elijah was apparently comfortable enough to let them in their home, or maybe it was just his impeccable manners. It took everything in her not to sprint ahead of him.

To her surprise, the mystery visitor wasn't Max. In fact, it was someone she, up until that moment, thought was dead. At first she didn't recognize her. The girl's ebony hair was cropped short in a boyish pixie-cut and she wore skinny jeans and a leather jacket. But, as soon as she met her all-too-familiar chestnut eyes, Belle immediately realized who it was. "Audrey?" Her fragile voice was just above a whisper.

"Belle." Her expression showed uncertainty, relief, and a glimmer of something that looked like anger. Of course she was angry - the last time they had seen each other hadn't ended well by any means. A ghost of a smile played at her lips.

Unaware of what she was doing, Belle ran to her as fast as she could and hugged her tightly. She fought back the tears that threatened to spill over. Audrey hugged her back stiffly. Belle pulled away after a few awkward seconds, lightly holding onto Audrey's arms as she looked her over. "I'm sorry, I'm just... How?" She stumbled over her words like a clumsy person over their two left feet. Shock couldn't even begin to describe how she felt. But above all, she was happy. Ecstatic, actually.

"Well," Audrey began, pulling away from Belle's grasp on her forearms. "I'd rather not dwell on the details, but Charlotte pretty much fed us her blood and...left us."

"For me?" The words poured out of Belle's mouth before she had a chance to think of an appropriate reply. She couldn't help it. Her impulsive nature paid no attention to common sense, like not bringing up the worst experience of her immortal life. But the guilt in her voice was clear.

Audrey chewed the inside of her cheek nervously as she, unlike her sister, contemplated how to respond. After a few seconds she nodded. "Charlotte was pretty messed up, I guess." Her eyes uncomfortably roamed the room before falling back on Belle's.

Her mind reeled, playing Audrey's words again in her head. "Before, when you said 'us', who did you mean?" She was terrified of what her response would be. Who else had Charlotte turned?

"I meant myself, Colton, Sabrina, and our father and mother."

Belle's eyes widened. "What are you doing here? Did she send you?" Her voice was now hostile, guarded. Nearly a millennium of being around Klaus, the most distrustful man on the planet, had taught her a few things, mainly to be careful who she trusted.

"No." Audrey quickly shook her head. "She actually has no idea I came here. I need to talk to you." The seriousness in her voice was the only confirmation Belle needed to realize that, like when they were children, their mother was still a heartless tyrant - to use the Mikaelson family moto, always and forever.

Belle nodded before taking a seat in one of the tan armless chairs nearby, motioning for Audrey to sit next to her. She noticed that Elijah was long gone - whether it was out of awkwardness or respect she didn't know. Cautiously, she walked over and took the seat, moving to the edge of the chair away from her elder sister. Belle frowned at her reluctance and, dare she say, fear. She knew the fear was just, which filled her with even more guilt.

After taking a deep breath, Audrey launched into the story Belle had unknowingly been wanting to hear for hundreds of years. "After everything happened, the change, mother was furious. She talked relentlessly about all the ways she wanted you to suffer. Not to mention how angry she was that Max was with you, not that he knew we were even alive." At the mention of Max's name, Belle immediately wondered if she knew anything about his whereabouts.

"Is Max staying with you?" Belle couldn't mask the hope in her eyes or on her face. She missed her brother.

She nodded, smiling. "Yeah. Mother found him a few months ago, after your fight." Belle knew how happy Audrey must have been to be reunited with her twin. They had always been close - they all had. "He misses you, even though he's angry." she assured her. They were both smiling now, but their happiness was short-lived. Audrey's phone dinged from her jacket pocket.

"Crazy bitch?" She cleared her throat. "I mean, Claudia." She refused to call that monster a mother.

Audrey smirked, shaking her head. "Yeah. I should go. I'll explain the rest another time." She stood and started to leave.

"Hey," Belle stood and cautiously approached her. "I'll see you out." They walked in silence toward the exit.

When they were walking down the hallway they ran Klaus who, needless to say, was clearly unhappy with a stranger being in his house. He scowled. "Belle, who's this?"

"My sister, Audrey."

Klaus's eyebrows rose as he eyed the five-foot-something girl who vaguely resembled Belle, no doubt wondering what the hell was going on. "It's a long story. I'll tell you in a minute." Before he could respond she quickly walked past him, eager to avoid his inevitable slew of questions. Audrey cautiously followed after her, no doubt intimidated by Klaus's unwavering gaze.

Once they reached the street, Belle resisted the urge to hug her sister, again, in fear of making her uncomfortable. She didn't doubt that it was hard for Audrey to even be around her, let alone be affectionate toward her. They exchanged goodbyes and heartfelt waves before parting ways, not knowing when one would see the other again.

She didn't want her to leave because she loved her, but it was also because she loved her that she knew she couldn't force her to stay. Things weren't so simple. She knew it would take time which, thankfully, was something she had loads of.

As she headed inside the idea of her angry mother being not only alive and kicking, but angry and within driving distance, made her more than uneasy. She felt like she was going to either cry or pass out, maybe both.

She needed a plan of action, and she needed it fast. Rule number two of the Klaus Mikaelson handbook, after being careful about who you trust, is to always be a step ahead of your enemy.


	17. Chapter 17

**A.N.- This story has 92 followers now. Keep it up! I hope you guys like family discord and booze because that's what you're about to get. Please review and enjoy.**

/HaylijahIsLife/status/549476506238738432 **Check out this link from my twitter for pictures of the Campbells (type twitter. com before the link) and follow me if you aren't already.**

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It had nearly been a week since Belle had spoken to Audrey, not that she didn't expect to be left waiting.

The deafening silence was finally broken when a note was left at the Mikaelson's front door. Written in elegant cursive on a small white card was a note - an invitation rather - that read: "Belinda, please join us for a little family reunion at our home. Come alone - it's strictly a family affair." The address was printed at the bottom and there was no signature, though she knew without a doubt that it was written by her mother.

Grasping the card with her thumb and index finger, she brought it to show Klaus after she found and read it. As he read it over and over, analyzing every detail and possible implication she ranted.

"I bet it's a trap. I mean come on, the woman wants me dead. Hell, I'm sure they all do." She paced back and worth across his study from one wall to the other and back as she spoke.

"And what makes you think that?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's the fact that I massacred them, besides Max of course, but he no doubt hates me for destroying our family. I'm not even sure if I blame him." She stopped pacing and looked at Klaus with desperate eyes. "What do I do, Nik?"

Elijah, who was lingering in the doorway, stepped fully into the room and said his piece on the matter. "From my personal experience, I find it's usual best to get to know your enemies before you make a plan of attack."

She turned to face him and scoffed. "A plan of attack? This is my family we're talking about, not some god damned army, Elijah. The only one of them I want to suffer is her - my mother. The rest don't deserve it." She unconsciously brought her right thumbnail to her lips to bite it, but lowered it when she realized what she was doing. The thought of her mother brought back feelings she had hidden away centuries ago.

Klaus pressed his steepled fingers flat on the table before standing up, starting to pace as Belle had. After being around someone for so long you start to act like them, mimicking their behaviors without even realizing it. Not only that, but you also start to think like they do, and you know what they're thinking without even asking. "I think it'd be best if you go." They locked eyes for a fraction of a second before she looked away, confused and beyond frustrated.

"If I go, I'm going alone. I have to fight my own battles." She turned to leave, moving past Elijah.

"Where are you going?" Klaus asked.

Without turning around she said, "To get ready." An unmistakable smirk stretched across her face as she walked toward their room.

An hour later, she had been through her entire wardrobe ten times over and still couldn't decide what to wear. She had three dresses picked out, all were black,short and tight. Rebekah walked in with raised brows as she eyed the pile of little black dresses. "What's with the slutty attire?" She picked up one of the dresses with one finger like it was diseased.

"Because when the mother you hate thinks you're a whore, you pretend you are just to spite her." She smoothed the fabric of the dress as Rebekah put it back down.

"How do you know she thinks that?"

Belle bit her lower lip. "It was one of the last things that woman said to me when I was human. Apparently getting pregnant with an illegitimate child at fifteen means you're a tramp rather than a stupid, lovestruck teenager." She shook her head, going back to picking out the right dress.

"Well, fear not. You could wear a turtleneck sweater and mom-jeans and still look like a strumpet," Rebekah said, a hint of humor in her voice.

Belle laughed under her breath. "Thanks, but we both know you're talking about yourself." It was very rare for she and Rebekah to be in the same room together without actually fighting. Playfulness wasn't their thing.

Rolling her eyes, Rebekah turned around to leave. "A word of advice, you can't go wrong with a little cleavage."

After trying on all three dresses she settled on the one that was the shortest - barely covering her behind - and so low-cut you could see the lace on her bra. She had never worn it before since it wasn't really her style, but in this case it was perfect. She messed her hair a little rather than brushing it and applied a more-than-generous amount of makeup.

She headed downstairs, sipping bourbon from a metal flask - there was no way she was going without drinking. Klaus and Marcel were sitting in the courtyard as she descended the stairs. Their eyebrows shot up as she came into view. She grinned audaciously. "How do I look?"

"Like you should be standing on a street corner selling happy endings," Marcel said. They were always brutally upfront with one another.

She turned to Klaus for his appraisal. "Trying to anger mother dearest?" He smirked. She grinned at him and nodded. He reached out and plucked the metal flask from her. "If you're driving yourself, you might want to take it easy on the drinking."

She rolled her eyes. "A car crash won't hurt me, Klaus. Well, it won't kill me. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself." She resisted the urge to reach out and stroke his cheek to ease his nerves - Klaus wasn't a big fan of PDA.

Although he acted calm, cool and collected, she knew that letting her do this on her own was a hard thing for him. He was protective, to say the least.

He rolled his eyes right back. "Remember, analyze her, figure out her weaknesses. I know you think you know her, but centuries of hatred can change someone in ways you cannot even imagine." She nodded sincerely. "Be safe." he whispered, looking her straight in the eyes.

"I will." She cleared her throat, hoping to break the mounting awkwardness from Marcel sitting not two feet from their melodrama, before turning around and walking outside to her car.

After driving for half an hour through New Orleans traffic out into the country she arrived at a place she hasn't thought about in ages. She hadn't recognized the address, but as soon as her eyes fell upon it she was immediately flooded with nostalgia. It was a two-storied white plantation house with high columns on the wraparound porch and ancient apple trees growing in the front yard and lining the dirt driveway. This house had been her getaway - her "secret garden" as she called it - away from the city and everything else. She found it back in 1872; it was abandoned for nearly a decade. No one else, to her knowledge, had known about it. Apparently that no longer proved to be true.

She parked her car and waited a second or two before getting out, trying to gather her courage. Someone opened the door without her even having to knock or ring the doorbell. To her surprise, it was was her youngest sister. "Sabrina," she said, trying to hide the shock in her voice. "It's nice to see you."

Sabrina smiled weakly. "You too," she said quietly, as if she didn't want someone - meaning Claudia - to hear.

"Speak on the devil and he will come," she thought as her mother entered the room.

"Belinda, darling," she greeted with a wicked smile and outstretched arms. Belle stood rigidly as she mother hugged her - she wasn't sure this had ever happened before.

Through gritted teeth she muttered, "Claudia," and shoved her off as gently as she could. "It's Belle, not Belinda."

She frowned, but nodded. Belle could see in her eyes how hard she was trying to keep her bubbling anger under wraps. "Belle then. I'm so glad you decided to join us for dinner tonight. Everyone is so happy to see you again." She turned to Sabrina. "Right, Sabrina?" She nodded quickly. Muttering an, "Of course, mother," and forcing a smile before walking to the dining room.

Claudia returned her gaze to Belle's. "Shall we?" She gestured to the direction Sabrina had went in. Belle turned back to the door, debating whether to run or walk into the lion's den. She sighed, summoned her bravery, and followed her mother. This was it.

As soon as they entered the room Belle was met by the faces of her brothers and sisters, their eyes filled with a mixture of emotions. Some, uncertainty. Some, anger. Some, fear. She wanted to smile, but she was paralyzed - eyes wide, mouth hanging open.

"Better shut your trap, or the flies will get get in," Colton snapped. Her eyes flickered to him. His familiar rudeness was clearly in tact. She glared at him and closed her mouth, pressing her lips into a hard line.

"Colton, behave," Claudia snapped before returning to her perfect mother facade. "I'll go tell the help bring out the food. Please, sit." She motioned toward the chair at the head of the table. She would be sitting at the other end, perfect.

As she looked around, Belle realized that one member of their family was missing. "Where's father?" she asked as she sat down. "I would assume he'd be at the head of the table."

The sudden stillness of the room was the only indication she needed. "He died, about fifty years ago - werewolf attack," Audrey said.

"Oh." Belle tapped her foot anxiously on the wood floor.

Claudia cleared her throat before walking out the double doors to the kitchen. She almost looked upset, but Belle didn't believe it.

Her eyes wandered over to Max's solemn face. His eyes were focused on wall the in front of him - they looked dull, dead.

"Max." His blue-gray eyes fell upon hers. She swore they lit up for a moment or two. "Are you still mad at me?" She tried to look confident, but inside she was terrified. Her entire family had rejected her once before; she couldn't face it again.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Colton beat him to the punch. "Of course he is, you stupid slut."

"Colton," Sabrina whispered, eyeing the doors.

"Oh what, do you think mommy's gonna get mad? God, you're such a little pushover."

"Yeah, well at least she's not a self-absorbed dick like you," Audrey said.

Max spoke up. "Stop it, guys!"

"Shut the hell up you little fa-" Colton started.

Max pushed back his chair and stood up, looking like he might jump across the table to pounce on his younger brother. "Say it, I dare you," Max challenged, gritting his teeth.

"Enough!"

Belle was shocked when she realized that someone had mirrored her words at that exact moment - their mother stood with the double doors open.

"Please, enough." She sat down in her chair as the help emerged from the kitchen with bowls of soup and two bottles of red wine.

"A four-course meal? Really?" Belle shook her head in disbelief.

"Three courses, actually," Claudia corrected. An elderly man, a human, poured wine into her glass. Belle wondered if he was compelled, deciding that he was if he was working here of all places. "Thank you."

They sat in an eerie silence as a bowl of soup was placed in front of each of them and wine was given to Max and Audrey. When the butler came around to Belle she insisted on him filling her glass to the very top before she picked it up and chugged half of it.

"Why don't I get wine?" Colton pouted, eyeing his soup like a displeased child.

"Because you're an ass when you drink." Max smiled to himself as he sipped from his glass.

"Boys," Claudia warned.

Belle exhaled deeply and took another long drink from her glass. This was going to be long night.

After listening to Colton's swearing, Max's brooding, Audrey's attempts at a normal conversation, and her mother's calm warnings, Belle took notice of how Sabrina had barely said a word. She sat looking uncomfortable as she picked at a slice of ham on her plate. Though she was skating on the razor's edge of drunkenness by this point, Belle tried to draw her out of her shell. "Sabrina, you've been particularly quite. Care to chime in on how I'm so evil?" She giggled into her glass as she took another swig. "Come on," she urged, pouring herself another drink.

"Do you think you've had enough?" Max snapped. She glared at him and rolled her eyes.

"I don't think you're evil," Sabrina said, cautiously looking into Belle's eyes. She nervously pushed a piece of long brown hair behind her ear as she spoke. "You're just," Her mouth contorted as she tried to find the right words.

"A bitch? A tramp? A sadistic life-ruiner with no soul and no conscious?" Belle suggested, her speech slurred. She reached out to take another drink before Audrey grabbed it. Belle glared at her. "Don't make me kill you," she grinned wickedly. "Again."

Audrey's mouth hung open as she quickly gave Belle back her drink.

A loud thud echoed throughout the room. Everyone's eyes jerked to their mother, who had slammed both hands down on the table. Sabrina sucked in a sharp breath. She folded her hands together as she attempted to regain her composure. "Please, Belle, for the love of God. You've had enough. Put the damned glass down." She clenched her jaw shut - probably to resist yelling.

Belle rolled her eyes and put the glass down. She chewed her thumbnail - which was bitten down to the skin by this point in the evening - for a second before grabbing the unopened bottle from the table. "I take it I'm not wanted. I'll be leaving now." She pushed back her chair and turned to leave. "You can all go to hell," she slurred, turning on her heel and stumbling toward the door.

She got in her car and drove a few miles down the road before she pulled over. She bit her lip as she resisted the urge to break down crying. She opened the console where she'd put her phone and tried to call Klaus - it went to voicemail. Going to the next person on her list, she called Josh.

"Hello?" The sound of deafening club music blared in the background.

"Hi Joshy. I'm too drunk to drive anymore. Can you come pick me up?"

"Umm, yeah, sure. Where are you?" The music was faint now - he must have went outside to talk.

She looked around for street sign, squinting at one in the distance. "East Dick Street. Oh wait, that says Rick Street." She busted out laughing again.

He sighed. "Hold on, I'll be there in like twenty minutes." He hung up.

Satisfied, she stuffed her phone into her bra since she had no where else to put it, turned off the car grabbed the bottle of wine, and waited for Josh on the hood if her car, legs crossed and the bottle clutched tightly in her right hand.

As his headlights came into view she cheered and took another drink. "Yay Joshy Josh Joshy poo! Lover of clubs and screwing my baby brother." She pulled off her shoes and wobbling over to his car.

"What about your car?" he asked as she shoved her shoes into his hands and closed the door.

"I'll make one of lackeys' Klaus get it. I mean Klaus' lackeys. Damn, I love him so much. He is so perfect, ya know? He's got all these people at his beck and call. It's awesome." she rambled as Josh drove back to the city. "Plus he's fierce in the boudoir if you catch my drift." She chuckled to herself.

"Loud and clear." He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Just curious, how's Max? Did you see him?" His eyes darted over to her.

She shrugged. "I saw him, but I dunno. He's confusing. Hey, let's put on some music!" She turned on the radio and found a station that was playing some techno-poppy song and turned it up to a deafening volume. The sound filled the car and could no doubt be heard by the people passing by.

Fifteen minutes and running two red lights, they arrived at the compound. By this point the bottle of wine was empty and Belle struggled to form a coherent sentence.

"Compound! Abattoir! Yeah!" She laughed.

The radio was now blaring some angry screamo song the Belle apparently loved even though she had never heard it before and she insisted on sitting in the car until it was over. Josh turned off the radio and got out, desperate to get away from her.

Klaus walked over and opened her door. "Well, looks like someone's been drinking." There wasn't a trace of humor in his voice.

Handing him the empty bottle, she stumbled out and practically fell into his arms. He steadied her and started to walk off. "Don't leave me." She took a few steps forward before nearly falling to the ground. Klaus caught her and carried her inside. He put her down in one of the chairs and started walking off again, but she loosely caught him by the arm, stopping him in his tracks. "Mad at me, Nik?" she whispered. Her bottom lip trembled slightly like she was about to cry.

He sighed. "Yes. You were supposed to go there to help us figure out a plan so we can deal with this, but instead you went and acted like it was a bloody frat party. I'm not going to bother lecturing you now because I doubt you'll remember it tomorrow. You can get yourself upstairs and if you can't make it then," He stopped when she put her face in her hands and started to sob hysterically.

"I ruin everything." She kept her face covered in hopes that he wouldn't see how pathetic she looked.

Seeing her like this made him regret his choice of words, which wasn't something that happened very often. He bent down and pulled her hands away so he could see her face. "Belle, listen to me," he said firmly. "You don't ruin everything. We all mess up occasionally. I don't think I have to tell you that even I do."

This only made her cry harder. "Yes I do. I'm horrible. I'm evil." She put her head on his shoulder and cried into his shirt, staining it with her running makeup. She completely collapsed into his arms as she cried. He lifted her into his arms, her head buried in his chest, and carried her up to their room.

He put her down on the bed and pulled the comforter over her. "You aren't evil, love. No one truly is; not even me. We're made this way. Do you understand?"

She nodded weakly, barely able to keep her eyes open.

"Go to sleep." She nodded again before closing her eyes.


	18. Chapter 18

**A.N.- 98 follows now, thank you guys! And I'm sorry this is so short. Please review and enjoy. I'd like some helpful and/or kind feedback if anyone as any :) thanks again**

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Song: Imagine Dragons - _Demons_

It starts as a rising feeling of fear, then pain - agonizing pain. She can't tell which is worse. "Stop, please!" she screams at the top of her lungs, begging for someone to listen to her. But no one does. She's screaming so loud her voice starts to strain.

The hits come one after the other, each hurts worse than the one before. At first it's just her hitting, but then he joins in at her demand. He's angry. "You have disgraced our family! I had such hopes for you." The emotional pain becomes stronger, now more unbearable than the beating. She knows she's failed them.

Somehow she breaks away from the torture - a flash of darkness - and finds herself in a small cottage. The lights are dim and all she can see is a small woven basket. There's something in it; whatever it is whines quietly. She approaches the basket and looks down. There's a baby with jet-black hair and brown eyes, a girl. The child looks up into her eyes and smiles, reaching out a tiny dimpled hand. Belle smiles and reaches in to pick up the baby, but it's gone in the blink of an eye.

Frantically, she searches for the child - her child - but finds nothing.

Belle was roused from her nightmare when Klaus grabbed her gently by the shoulders, pulling her to his chest. She quickly realized that she was crying. She wrapped her arms around his back and held him close. "You were screaming." He stroked her hair as he tried to comfort her.

"Was I?" She scoffed, pulling away to wipe her tear stained cheeks.

He frowned. "You've had nightmares every night since you went to see them, since you saw her." With the hem of his t-shirt, he wiped the leftover tears off her face. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, not really," she said. Her eyes drifted to the window where the sun was starting to rise. She was nearly overcome with exhaustion, but she was afraid that if she went back to sleep she would have another nightmare. "Go back to sleep. I'll be fine, Nik. Really." She forced a small, reassuring smile.

Unconvinced, he shook his head. "You're not a good liar, love. And if either of us needs to sleep it's you."

Her lips pursed and her eyes narrowed. She wasn't giving in. "I don't want to."

Klaus rolled his eyes. "You're so stubborn." It was difficult not to notice his eyes playfully raking from head to toe and back up to her eyes. Sometimes he acted no better than a teenager. "If you don't want to sleep, what do you want to do?" He smirked.

She rolled her eyes and let out a long sigh. "Well..." Her eyes looked him over like he had done to her. A light laugh slipped through her crooked lips before she rolled in the opposite direction, got up and padded across the floor. She peered at a clearly displeased Klaus as she rummaged through her closet.

"What are you looking for? Anything interesting?" She ignored his question and everything it implied as she continued her search.

At last she found what she was looking for - a sketchbook and some drawing pencils. She smirked and turned to fave him, supplies in hand. "I'm going to draw you " she said, pointing a pencil in his direction.

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Belle blended out a few harsh lines to finish off the drawing. She had always wanted to draw him. Not just because he was handsome - which he was - but because she wanted to capture everything about him and display it on a piece of paper for everyone - mainly him - to see. She wanted him to see himself as she did.

"Why won't you tell me what you were dreaming about?" he asked.

Her eyes momentarily flickered to him, drinking in his expression. "Because you don't need to know. My demons are my demons, not yours." She kept her eyes on the drawing, picked up a pencil, and continued drawing.

He sighed, his expression hardening. He reached over and took everything from her hands.

"Hey," she protested, shooting him a dirty look.

"You love me, don't you?"

"What the hell kind of question is that?" she snapped.

He was getting agitated. "Just answer it."

"Yes. Of course I love you."

He put the paper and pencils aside before taking her hands in his own. "Then let me in. I want to help you, if I can. Please."

She bit her thumbnail. "Fine," she mumbled. As it always had been, she couldn't refuse him. She sat up and looked mindlessly out the window. "I keep dreaming about the night my parents found out I was pregnant, when they beat me and kicked me out. That's how it starts. But then it changes, and I see her." She cleared her throat, trying to distract herself from the tears that sprung to her eyes, threatening to spill over.

"Lilith?"

She nodded. "She's a baby, and she's so tiny and helpless. I try to pick her up, to hold her and comfort her, but then she's gone. I think it's my subconscious's way of reminding me that I'm a failure." A rogue tear slipped down her cheek to her chin.

Klaus reached out and caught the tear with his thumb, wiping it away. He caressed her face. "You aren't a failure."

"Yes I am," she whispered. "I failed my family and my daughter. I failed myself." Abruptly, she pulled away from his soft touch and got out of bed. "I can't do this right now. I can't afford to be weak right now." She turned to him and sniffed, wiping away the remnants of tears.

Her lips parted like she was about to say something, but she didn't know what to say. Her mind was racing. She needed to figure out what to do about her family, her mother more importantly. After running everything Claudia had said over in her head dozens of times, Belle still couldn't figure out what the old hag's plan was. No one comes back from the dead without one. All she knew fore sure was that, in the end, either she or Claudia would end up dead. The concern at hand was which one. She hoped for the latter.


	19. Chapter 19

**A.N - This story finally reached 100 followers! (101 to be exact) Thank you guys so much; it means a lot. Please keep it up and review :)**

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A meeting was called at St. Anne's church that morning. Despite being an "exclusively human" group, vampires - usually Klaus, Elijah or Marcel - attended every meeting, sometimes without an invitation. This however wasn't one of those times. Apparently there were three new missing persons cases in the past two weeks, so of course the humans immediately pointed their accusing fingers at the vampires.

Klaus and Belle rode in the Range Rover to the meeting, a comfortable silence between them. She was too busy with her thoughts. At last, they arrived and went inside. A few others were still coming in by the time they sat down in one of the pews.

Father Kieran approached the podium once everyone was seated. Belle scoffed at the irony of a priest associating with "demons". He cleared his throat quietly. "I'm sure you all have heard about the recent disappearances."

"And, as expected, you don't hesitate to implicate the vampires." Klaus interjected. He wasn't exactly known for his patience or for holding his tongue.

Kieran sighed. "We're just trying to weed out all possibilities," he said.

"I believe I can help you with that," a woman's voice declared. Belle's blood ran cold as she turned around so quickly she nearly gave herself whiplash. There Claudia stood, taking off her dark sunglasses as her eyes made contact with Belle's. Their eyes stayed locked as she spoke to the room. "My younger son can be quite temperamental. Sometimes he just gets carried away." Venom dripped from her final words. Belle knew they were aimed at her.

"Who are you?" A nameless human demanded.

Belle stood, arms crossed. "Shouldn't you get out of here before you burst into flames?" Her lips were pressed in a firm line, no doubt everyone in a ten foot radius could feel the anger and revulsion radiating from her.

Klaus let out a long, irritated sigh.

"Wait, are you saying that your son killed those people?" Kieran asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Are people in this town completely brainless? Yes, that's what I'm saying."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Belle resisted the urge to yell, not that it would matter. They were already causing a scene.

Klaus stood up from his seat. "Alright ladies, let's take this outside." He grabbed Belle by the arm and pulled her away. Claudia followed suit. "I'll be back shortly."

"Damn vampires," someone mumbled.

Belle glared at Klaus, struggling under his iron grasp. "Let go of me, asshole." He released her once they were outside before he went to stand several yards away, observing them with perfect concentration. She hoped he was plotting her mother's murder.

Claudia shook her head disdainfully. "What that really necessary?" Her eyes darted around like she was searching for someone.

"Is your involvement in my life really necessary? That's a more atp and important question, don't you think?" She shot back.

"Of course it is. You're my child."

"Oh, so now you decide to start acting like a mother. Congratulations! Let's throw you a god damned party."

The start of their heated feud was interrupted by a middle-aged man wearing a leather jacket that was too tight. His graying hair hung down in his face, nearly hiding his eyes. Belle didn't recognize him. He walked up to Claudia with a pair of car keys dangling from his fingers. "Hey babe, I know you're in the middle of something, but I'm going to the bar down the street. Here are the keys so you can drive home." She noticed a daylight ring on his thumb. Great.

"I just threw up in my mouth a little." Belle gagged and scrunched her nose. "Who the fuck are you?" She glared at the wannabe-punk-but-too-old-to-pull-it-off man that was involved with her mother, probably in ways that would haunt her dreams.

"Marcus," he said, nodding in her direction.

Claudia glared at her in derision. "Where are your manners?"

She raised an eyebrow "How long have you been a vampire, Marcus?"

"Uh, about fifty years or so." He shifted uneasily under her piercing gaze.

Belle lips curled into a wicked smirk. "I'm guessing he's the reason you killed my father." She gave them both a look that could only be described as pure hatred. "After all, he died about fifty years ago and was torn apart by werewolves from what I hear." Her eyes were locked on Claudia's, waiting for them to show any kind of emotion.

"That proves nothing." She crossed her arms, not giving anything away. The only quality of her mother's Belle had ever envied was her ability to tell a good lie.

Her eyes narrowed. "Werewolves are very hard to come by, so my best guess is that you did the exact thing Charlotte tried to do to me."

"And what would that be?"

"You threw him to the wolves, literally."

Claudia's mouth hung open for a moment in fake shock. "How dare you! I loved your father. His death was a tragic accident." Belle knew Claudia was resisting her natural instinct to slap her.

She scoffed. "I'm sure."

The tension between them was so thick it could be cut with a spoon. "Goodbye, Belinda. Do stop by some time if you have anymore accusations to spit in my face." She flashed a fake smile before walking away, snatching the keys from her boyfriend's hand. Marcus practically ran in the opposite direction.

Klaus pushed past her without saying a word. "Where are you going?" she called. He didn't answer as he ascended the stairs back into the church. She frowned. "Great. Now everyone's mad at me." She shoved her hands into her pockets and started walking toward the compound.

On her way, she walked by a bar and a lightbulb lit up in her head. She walked inside and smiled at the sight of Marcus sitting on a bar stool drinking a beer next to the other day drinkers and bar flies. She approached him from behind and tapped him on the shoulder.

Her turned around. "What are you doing here? Go home little girl." She rolled her eyes. It took 18 ounces of liquid courage to make him a man, apparently.

"Don't act like your my father." She spit in his face before pulling him to his feet. She pinned his arms behind his back and dragged him out the back door. Thankfully, everyone was either too drunk or distracted to notice.

He stuggled in her hold as she led him "What are you doing you crazy little -" She snapped his neck before he could finish his vulgar comment. She grinned diabolically as he fell to the floor. Boy, did she have plans for him. It's a shame he would live long enough to see them unfold.

After a quick trip to the hardware store, she was finished. She took a few steps back to admire her work, the way Klaus did when he finished a painting. Klaus would be proud of her if he saw what she had done. Marcus was strung up in one of the apple trees in the Campbell's front yard, bloody and with a stake through his heart. There was a note pinned to his shirt that read: _"You broke my father's heart, so I broke his."_ She wiped the blood on her hands on her pants and walked away, grinning at the thought of Claudia discovering her handy work upon her arrival home.

The day was still young when she got back to the compound. Klaus sat in the courtyard with a look of utter rage and disappointment. "What have you been up to?" he snapped.

"Hello to you too." She rolled her eyes. He gave her a don't-make-me-repeat-myself look, so she fessed up. "I made the first move."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Against my mo- against Claudia. I killed her ragamuffin boyfriend and strung him up in her front yard." She paused, watching his reaction. "She wasn't going to make a move, so I figured I would."

"You're trying to provoke her," he said. She thought for a second he was angry, but then his lips formed the divilish smirk she loved and she knew he was proud. "I suppose we're now going to war. Excellent."


	20. Chapter 20

**A.N. - Please keep reviewing! :D thanks for the support. Enjoy**

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Song: Hozier - _Arsonist's Lullaby_

The Mikaelsons were hosting a charity gala at the compound. Like everything that happened at the compound, it was going to be a huge, extravagant event. A few days had passed since Belle fired the first shot in a brewing war with her mother, but there had been nothing but radio silence since. She wasn't going to go out of her way to attack Claudia, so she decided to reach out to Max instead. She needed intel and she trusted him more than any of their other siblings.

She was walking down the hallway upstairs as she dialed his number. The line rang twice before she heard something: a phone ringing. It came from Elijah's study. Part of her thought it was just a coincidence, but her curiosity wouldn't let her dismiss it without checking. Cautiously, she turned the knob and opened the door. Her mouth gaped at what she saw. Max and Josh were sprawled across Elijah's desk, making out like a couple of teenagers. Papers were scattered around the floor along with their shirts. "Max?! What the hell?"

Their heads jerked abruptly in her direction. "Belle?" Max jumped up and grabbed his shirt from the floor.

"Oh my God!" Josh exclaimed. He looked like he was about to either have a heart attack or pee his pants. "This is...awkward," he said, avoiding Belle's gaze. His face was as red as a tomato.

"When did you get here?" she demanded. Under normal circumstances she would be laughing, but this wasn't one of those times. "Why didn't you tell me you were back? I though you'd be playing house with mother dearest. Please tell me you've finally come to your senses and untangled yourself from her web." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Don't fool yourself. I came here to see Josh." Max tugged his shirt over his head and turned to face her.

She narrowed her eyes. "Josh doesn't live here, genius. What's the real reason?"

Max let out a deep, annoyed sigh. "I actually came here to see you. Happy?"

Josh, now fully clothed, coughed uncomfortably. "I'm gonna go. See you later, Max." He grinned before getting off the desk and awkwardly shuffling out of the room.

Belle smirked. "If I weren't such a good sister I'd tell Elijah what you two were doing in here."

"If you were a good sister you wouldn't have lied to me for nearly a millennium," he spat venomously. He put his hands in his pockets and leaned on the back of a chair.

She flinched on the inside, but on the outside she remained unphased, almost statuesque. "Can't bygones just be bygones for five seconds? We have more important things to worry about."

"Like what? Like the little present you left for our mother the other day?"

"Like how we're going to kill her, actually," she snapped.

Max's eyes widened in either shock or disbelief; she couldn't tell which. "You can't be serious. You're not going to kill her." His voice was coated in doubt and disapproval.

Their eyes locked. "What makes you say that? She deserves it, Max. Even you can't deny that, so stop playing the loyal son and help me," she insisted.

"Help you what? Get yourself killed? You can't kill her. She's stronger than you think. Not to mention how pissed she is now - that'll only make her stronger." His eyes softened. "Don't do this."

She shook her head. "You don't understand, Max. She ruined me." Tears welled up in her eyes. She bit her lip as she tried to blink them away.

"She ruined me, too. She ruined all of us," he whispered. He took a few steps forward and put a hand on her shoulder. "There's been enough bloodshed in our family already. You don't have to do this." The desperation in his voice shone in his eyes like headlights in the night. It almost made her give in, but she knew deep down that that wasn't what she wanted.

She put a hand on Max's shoulder, mirroring his stance. She looked up into his eyes as she spoke. "I'm sorry Max, but I have to." She stepped back and took a calming breath, blinking away the tears that tried to spill over. "Now, I'd recommend you clean this place up before Elijah finds out what you and Josh almost did in here. " She forced a smile before turning around. She started to walk away, but lingered in the doorway. "Feel free to stop by tonight. Tell the others they're welcome too," she said. She didn't turn around to face him, unable to bear the disappointment in his eyes.

Hours later, Belle had done her makeup and straightened her hair. All she needed to do was put on her dress - a strapless mermaid gown made of burgundy satin. Klaus walked in. He smirked as he eyed her approvingly. "You look stunning." He stood behind her as she looked in the mirror. He was wearing a black suit and a tie that was identical in both color and material to the dress.

"You're not so bad yourself." She grinned and spun around to face him, hooking her arms around his neck. She stood on her tip toes to peck him on the lips. "You should go ahead and go downstairs. I'll be there in a minute."

He narrowed his eyes slightly at her reluctance, but nodded. "Don't take too long," he said. She nodded before he left.

She walked over to the bed where her dress was laid out, waiting for her to put it on. Just as she picked it up her phone started ringing. "Who could that be?" She picked it up from the nightstand and checked - unknown. Cautiously, she accepted it. "Hello?"

"Belinda, darling. I'm calling because your baby sister wanted to say hello. Go on, Sabrina," Claudia said. She sounded angry and utterly neurotic.

"Belle? Please help me! Don't let her hurt me," Sabrina cried in fear.

Belle's eyes widened. "What have you done to her, Claudia?"

Laughing echoed from the opposite line. "Oh my dear, it's not what I _have_ done, but what I _will_ do if you don't meet me. Now," Claudia demanded. "We're at Lafayette Cemetery. You have one hour - come alone, or I'll kill her." With that, she hung up.

Frantically, Belle put the phone in her pocket, grabbed her keys and headed for the door. Before she could even open it, Klaus busted in, a terrified and bewildered look on his face. "The party's cancelled. Hayley's gone into labor! We need your help." He grabbed her by the arm and proceeded to drag her downstairs. She started to panic; she couldn't help Hayley and save Sabrina at the same time. It wasn't even up for debate in her mind - save Sabrina.

She tried to pull away when they got to the courtyard. "Nik, stop." She yanked her arm out of his iron grip. "I - I have something to do. I'll explain later." She ran outside before he could stop or question her. She got in her car and sped down the highway to the cemetery.

As soon as she arrived, she turned off the car and bolted for the gate. It was open, but she couldn't enter. "Dammit! Come on!" she screamed in frustration. Vampires had to be invited in by a French Quarter witch. She wondered who in their right mind would invite Claudia in. "I'm here, Claudia. That's what you wanted, right?" Her voice echoed.

After a few seconds she saw three figures emerge from the fog: Claudia, Sabrina and a young girl she didn't recognize. "Belinda, I was afraid you'd be late," Claudia said.

She looked at Sabrina. Her eyes were red and puffy - she was crying. There was dried blood on her lips and around her nose. The fact that Claudia dared to hurt her made Belle's blood boil. "Enough with the small talk. I'm here - give me Sabrina. That was the deal." She pushed anxiously against the invisible barrier that separated her from them.

Claudia turned to the girl beside her. She had short dark brown hair and couldn't be much older than sixteen. "Invite her in, please."

The girl eyed Belle warily. "Come in." So she was a witch - no doubt Claudia had her wrapped around her finger. There was something in her voice Belle couldn't put her finger on, but that was the least of her worries. She had to get to her sister.

She stepped forward - the barrier was gone. She walked over to them and tried to take Sabrina's hand, but Claudia pulled her back. "Not so fast. We have business to take care of," Claudia cautioned before turning to the witch and nodding.

The girl began chanting in Latin and within seconds Belle felt like her head was about to explode. She cried out in pain. Warm blood poured from her nose; she could taste it as it reached her lips. Suddenly, her whole body felt like it was on fire - every nerve ignited. Belle had heard plenty of witches chant in her day, but she couldn't remember hearing the spell anywhere before. What was happening? What was she doing to her? Suddenly everything grew dark and the sound of the chanting faded as she started to lose consciousness.

Claudia approached her as she collapsed in agony, curling up on the ground. She bent down and whispered in her ear, "In case you were wondering, I'm not going to kill you. Not yet."


	21. Chapter 21

**A.N. - Thanks for all the reviews and follows guys! I'm so excited for all the things that are to come. And I'm sorry this chapter is late. Please review and enjoy :)**

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Song: First Aid Kit - _Wolf_

A throbbing headache made it nearly impossible for Belle to open her eyes, but at this point in her life pain was something she was more than familiar with, so she forced open her eyes, squinting from the bright sun. It had to be noon because the sun was directly overhead, beating down on her relentlessly. She was surrounded by humidity and the sound of unseen insects and small animals - the bayou. Lovely.

Standing up on stiff legs, she pulled a few leaves from her hair and walked over to a nearby stream. She crouched and dipped her dirty hands into the cool water, feeling it run over her fingers before splashing some onto her face to rise off dirt and what little makeup she had left. Her mind began to wander once the water woke her up. Why was she out in the middle of the bayou? The last thing she remembered was being knocked out by Claudia's witch. She sighed, too exhausted to continue solving the mystery that presented itself to her. At the moment, there were a lot of unsolved mysteries in her life. What was one more?

She stood and started walking aimlessly through the trees, hoping to stumble upon some form of civilization. Sure enough, after what had to have been at least 2 miles, she found a little community of small, old houses and trailers. "Classy," she mumbled to herself as she looked around.

"Sorry, but we don't exactly have any five-star hotels around these parts." She turned around at the sound of the man's voice, trying to disguise her surprise; she hadn't noticed he was there.

"Who the hell are you?" She looked him over from head to toe skeptically. He had shaggy dark hair, the start of a beard and an outfit that was fit for a lumberjack.

"I'm Jackson. Who the hell are you?" He crossed his arms firmly across his chest.

"Not important." She glanced around, noticing a few other people walking around.

He let out an exasperated chuckle. "You must be Belle. We've been looking for you for days."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "May I ask why?" She stepped forward with a narrowed gaze.

"Klaus's orders," he deadpanned. He turned and called over his shoulder, "Hey Oli, I found her."

A man dressed similarly with dirty blonde hair approached them with an irritated look on his face. "Great," he said sarcastically. "I just love being a leech babysitter."

Belle glared daggers at him. "If I were you, which, thankfully, I'm not, I'd watch my tone. Okay? Great." She pat him on the shoulder, smirking as he jerked away. "And, for the record, I can take care of myself."

A familiar and comforting chuckle echoed behind her. "If that were true, we wouldn't be here right now."

She grinned and turned to face him. "Hey, when your mother wants to kill you, she wants to kill you," she retorted. Klaus's lips twitched, but he didn't smirk. "Are you mad at me?"

He shook his head. "We'll talk about this later. You need to come home." He turned and stalked off, hands in the pockets of his jeans. She exhaled deeply, tempted to roll her eyes, before following him.

They were just a few miles away from the compound and he still had said nothing. "So," Belle started, "are you ever going to answer my question?" She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. Klaus's eyes were locked on the road, his expression unreadable.

"No, I'm not angry with you. Sabrina told us everything, how you saved her. You did the right thing." He paused, glancing at her. The corners of his lips twitched before revealing a short-lived grin. "Although, it would have been nice to have you there for Hayley when she had the baby," he said.

Realization struck her like a blast of cold air. She face-palmed and groaned loudly. "Oh God, am I the worst person ever for completely forgetting about that?" Embarrassed, she peaked at him from the cracks between her fingers.

He chuckled. "Well, you've had a rough week. I'll cut you some slack."

"Wait, I've been gone for a week?" She raised her eyebrows in astonishment. Surely it hadn't been longer than a day or two, right?

"I'm afraid so, love. Sabrina came to us the next morning and told us what had happened. Apparently your mother broke her neck just after you were knocked out. She woke up alone and couldn't find you." He looked over and saw the worry etched onto her face. "Don't worry, she's fine. She, Colton and Audrey have been staying at the compound. You can sort everything out then."

She nodded. "So, is the baby a girl like you guys thought?" she asked after a brief pause.

"Yes. Her name is Hope." Belle smiled as Klaus beamed with pride and happiness. It wasn't often she saw him this way, not since Marcel was young. It was a father's pride. "She's beautiful."

Her smile widened in an attempt to crush the jealousy that started simmering within. "I can't wait to meet her."

They arrived at the compound and went inside, heading straight for the living room. Elijah and Rebekah were huddled around Hayley, who held a small bundle of pink fluff in her arms. They looked up as Klaus and Belle stepped into the room, lingering by the doorway.

"Look who finally found her way home," Rebekah quipped, though there was a light bounce in her voice, something she definitely wasn't used to.

Hayley looked up and smiled at Belle. After a moment her attention shifted to the squirming bundle in her arms. A tiny, pale face face poked out from the blanket and yawned quietly, earning a chuckle from everyone in the room. "This is Hope," she said quietly.

Familiar emotions rushed to the surface as Belle gazed upon the little baby girl in Hayley's arms. The most dominating emotion of all of them was grief. Deep, soul-crushing, heart-wrenching, grief.

"Do you want to hold her?" Hayley asked, probably noticing the change in her expression.

Tears came to her tired, bloodshot eyes, but, before they could fall, she excused herself, not wanting to ruin the picturesque scene before her. "No thank you. Um, I'm going to take a shower." She walked away quickly, trying her hardest not to run.

Once she was safely inside the bathroom, she locked the door. She turned on the faucet and splashed water on her face and along the length of her arms. She held on to the sink's edge with an iron grip as she inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying to control herself. Her eyes were fixed on the woman in the mirror. Her eyes were red and watery; her dark hair was frizzy; her clothes were dirty and tattered. Belle stared into the woman's eyes and scarcely recognized them as her own.

Even after nine hundred years, she was still unable to process the grief trapped in her heart, the guilt. In her mind, she would never get over it. Was she supposed to? Was she supposed to come to terms with everything that happened then and summon the strength to forgive herself for not protecting her own child? She doubted anyone in the world had that much strength.

The next day rolled around and, after some coaxing by Klaus, Belle finally decided to meet Hope, officially. She was in fact very eager to meet the little miracle baby, the apple of Klaus's eye. She was just nervous and, though she wouldn't admit it out loud, jealous. The jealousy was worse.

Hope's little nursery was adjoined with Hayley's room, which was just down the hall from Klaus and Belle's room. Belle hadn't looked at the nursery since they had finished it weeks before. There had been something eerie about an empty nursery, but now that it's little resident was born the room felt almost comforting to be in. Hayley stood by the crib, lifting a newly awakened Hope into her arms. For a newborn, Hope didn't sleep very much. Then again, the Campbell children were known for sleeping like the dead. She smiled fondly at the memories of protectively watching over her siblings as they slept.

Cautiously, Belle stepped farther into the room. Hayley turned to face her, cradling Hope in her arms. The infant stretched out her tiny arms to the ceiling, balling up her dimpled hands. "Hope," Hayley said quietly, "this is Belle. She's your father's..." Hayley hesitantly raised an eyebrow.

"We don't really use lables, I guess." She chuckled.

"Well, she's very important to him and to the rest of our family." They both laughed. Without saying anything else, Hayley carefully placed Hope into Belle's cradled arms. She squirmed for a moment, but soon settled in.

A face-splitting grin made it's way onto Belle's face as she held the tiny, fragile creature in her arms. Hope's eyes were dark blue and, like most baby's eyes, looked much too big for her head. What little hair she had was dirty blonde, almost brown. "She really is beautiful, Hayley."

Hayley smiled. "Yeah, she is."

Belle noticed that something was different about her, not just the glow of motherhood. "You seem different. Maybe it's just me." She shook her head and returned her gaze to the swaddled infant in her arms.

"I guess no one told you, but I'm kind of a hybrid now."

Belle's eye flickered up to Hayley's. "Kind of?"

"I mean, I am a hybrid. There were some complications with the birth. I actually died for about an hour before I woke up. Hope's blood was in my system, so I woke up in transition." For something so traumatic, Hayley seemed pretty nonchalant about the situation. Then again, being around an adorable baby makes it hard to be anything but.

"Wow. I guess I missed a lot," Belle said absentmindedly. Her attention was unintentionally devoted to Hope.

Someone cleared their voice from the doorway. "Uh, Belle. Family meeting." Belle turned and found Audrey leaning against the doorframe.

Hesitantly, she nodded and handed Hope back to her mother.

The Campbell children were assembled in the Mikaelson's living room. Max and Sabrina were waiting patiently on the couch while Colton sat in an armchair with a glass of scotch in his hand. "Should you really be drinking that? It's not even noon."

Colton shrugged. "So," he shot back passively. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"What's this about?" Belle sat down on the couch opposite of Max and Sabrina with Audrey.

"We need to discuss what to do about our mother." Max began.

Colton interjected, "And what better place to do that than the beach?"

"Okay, you're cut off." Belle reached over and tried to snatch the glass from him, but he pulled back defensively.

"No, we're actually going to the beach," Audrey said. She leaned back, propping an arm behind her head.

Colton sipped his drink. "We were going anyway, so we figured why not discuss everything there."

Belle eyed them suspiciously. "And were you planning on inviting me?"

"Yes." Sabrina hadn't spoken yet, but Belle was glad she finally chimed in. They had only spoken once since the other night in the cemetery. "We wouldn't want to go without you." A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Great." Belle smiled, trying to contain her enthusiasm, and got to her feet. "I'm driving."


	22. Chapter 22

**A.N. - I can't believe this story almost has 120 follows! Thanks so much :D I'm working hard on this so I'm glad it's paying off. I wanted to show more of the relationship between Belle and her siblings, so I included a lot of that in this chapter. There's also some Klaus and Hope cuteness! Please review and enjoy.**

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Song: Halestorm - _Here's To Us_

After changing into beach appropriate attire, they piled into Belle's black SUV and headed down to Grand Isle. For two hours they sat in an odd silence with occasional comments about the traffic or something one of them saw on the side of the road. It was better than what she had expected; at least no one was arguing. She wondered if they were always like that, or just when she was around.

"Are we there yet?" Colton deadpanned, riding shotgun. He had his right elbow against the window, the palm of his hand resting against his cheek.

"Shut up," Audrey groaned from the back seat.

Belle rolled her eyes. "We'll be there in a minute. Don't get your panties in a bunch."

Sabrina chuckled from the third row, sitting behind Max.

As promised, minutes later they arrived. Belle parked the car in a nearby parking lot and they walked along a long, gray pier that went out just past the water's edge. A few people walked along the sand or splashed around in the water, but other than that the beach looked lonely.

Belle leaned on the wooden ledge, looking out aimlessly at the water. The ocean looked as if it could go on forever, an endless blue horizon. For a moment she closed her eyes and listened to the crashing of the waves and felt the sun's warmth on her exposed skin. "So, what's the plan?" She glanced at her siblings from the corner of her eyes.

"I'm guessing you'd still love to see her head on a spike?" Max came to stand by her, leaning his back against the ledge.

"And you don't?" She eyed him warily.

He let out a long sigh. "I honestly don't know anymore."

She raised an eyebrow. "And the rest of you? Anything to add? Any varying opinions?"

Audrey, Sabrina and Colton exchanged a look, like they were speaking telepathically. Sabrina spoke up. "Is violence really the answer? I mean, yes Claudia's a terrible person and mother, but does she need to die?" She bit her bottom lip nervously, waiting for an answer.

"Of course you don't want to do anything to hurt poor mommy." Colton rolled his eyes. "When will you stop defending her? She tried to kill you. What makes you think she won't hesitate to try again? Or maybe next time it won't be you. I think I speak for all of us when I say that I sure as hell don't want to find out."

Sabrina looked offended, but kept her cool. "I'm not defending her. I'm just saying that maybe she'll just, I don't know, leave us alone. She has no reason to hurt us anyway," she shot back nervously. Something was off; Belle couldn't put her finger on it.

"She doesn't need one. She's a vindictive bitch who hurts others because she thinks she can," Belle said. "Do you remember nothing from our childhood? How she would lash out for no apparent reason? Not a day went by that she didn't raise a hand to me, and if she hadn't taken everything out on me one of you would have been her target. She isn't a mother - she's a monster. There's a difference."

Belle turned away from them to look out at the water. Birds flew high above her head, heading toward the horizon. After a calming intake of breath she continued. "I won't risk your lives for the sake of peace. She has to die so we can live. It may not be ideal or civil, but that's what has to happen. That's survival."

Silence hung thick in the air between them as they took in everything, digesting her words and letting them sink in.

"You're absolutely right," Audrey said. "I won't lose any of you - not again."

Belle smiled widely at her words. She couldn't be prouder. Since they were little, Belle could tell that Audrey had a great potential for leading; she was strong willed and unafraid of voicing her opinion when it was necessary.

Max put his hand on his twin's shoulder. "I agree. We should stick together."

"Always and forever," Belle muttered, grinning to herself. They turned and gave her a mutual look of confusion. She shook her head. "You all don't get it."

Colton cleared his throat. "Okay. Now that this heavy, family bonding shit is out of the way let's do something fun. You know, like a normal family?" He turned and raced down the peir toward the sand. "Come on you lazy fuckers!" he called.

Max rolled his eyes. "Child." Despite his sharp tone, a smirk inched across his face.

They all chased after him, each one trying to outrun the other like when they were children. When they reached the water they stood at its edge, splashing water at each other as it lapped at their ankles, soaking their shoes. For the first time in a long time, Belle felt truly close to them. The idea of them becoming a family again didn't seem so far off anymore. The thought filled her entire body with complete and utter bliss.

Covered with water and sand and smelling of the salty ocean, they climbed into the car and headed back to New Orleans as the sun began to head for the horizon; it would be setting by the time they got back to the compound.

Davina and Josh were sitting in the courtyard, talking and laughing quietly. Max and Josh exchanged a look and an unspoken hello. Belle wondered if they were back together or not; Max's love life had always perplexed her. She wasn't nosey, she just wanted him to be happy.

Belle went to the living room while the rest headed upstairs toward their rooms. Hayley and Rebekah sat on the couch, Hope nestled in Rebekah's arms while Hayley ran a gentle hand over her daughter's thin hair. Klaus sat in a chair on the other side of the room, looking like an outsider. Belle couldn't recall ever seeing Klaus hold Hope; he just looked at her in awe like she was a mythical creature.

"You know she won't break if you hold her," she whispered in his ear, resting her arms on the back of his chair. "She's itty bitty, but not that fragile."

"I'm well aware," he said, glancing behind him for a moment at her.

"Then hold her. You're her father, after all," she quietly urged. Klaus didn't like being told what to do, so she tried to make it seem more like a suggestion than a command.

Hayley must have heard their conversation, because she approached them with Hope cradled in her slender arms. "Think fast," she said quickly, slipping the baby into his arms.

Thankfully, he did. He supported Hope's tiny, swaddled body, cradling her head in the crook of his arm. "Thanks for the notice," he muttered. He smiled as Hope wrapped her teeny, dimpled hand around Klaus's index finger. She yawned quietly before drifting off to sleep. Klaus's eyes widened at the contact, memorized by the beautiful bundle he held in his arms. Belle smiled before turning around and walking out of the room, motioning for Hayley and Rebekah to do the same. Klaus needed some quality time with his little girl.

Belle headed upstairs to their room, trying to find something to occupy herself. Boredom, thought she was used to it, wasn't something she enjoyed. She preferred to be busy, otherwise she felt useless. It was a habit from her childhood that she had never broken.

She was replacing the flowers that were in a vase on her bedside table when she accidentally knocked it off onto the floor. It hit the wood below with a loud crash as the glass shattered. She swore under her breath and let out an exasperated sigh before bending down to pick up the shards of glass, mentally noting that she'd now have to order a new one.

As she collected the pieces in her palm, she accidentally squeezed her hand too tightly, causing one of the larger shards to cut her. She cringed and dumped the now bloodied glass onto the table. Blood oozed from the gash and dripped onto the floor, forming a small pool that was about the size of a quarter. She rushed to the bathroom to wash her wound, using her other hand to catch any falling droplets of blood.

The faucet squeaked quietly as she turned it on. She put her hands under the cool water, sending a trail of crimson water down the drain. After a few seconds, she pulled her hands away to look for any remaining blood. To her shock, the gash was still open. It showed no signs of healing as blood continued to pour from it, mingling with the water. "Come on, heal dammit." She took the towel from the rack by the sink and held pressure on it, checking after a few seconds. The white towel was now stained red as the cut continued to bleed. "What the hell is this?" She swallowed sharply, trying not to panic. Her eyes fixated on the blood that dripped onto the granite counter as her thoughts swum with confusion and fear.

What was happening to her? Why wasn't she healing? Questions that she couldn't answer filled her head and started to overwhelm her. "Klaus!"


	23. Chapter 23

**A.N.- 120 follows at last! You guys are the best :D Anyway, I'm sorry for slacking with the updates. Please R&amp;R and enjoy. Follow me on twitter at HaylijahIsLife if you aren't already. Thanks! Bye**

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"Ow!" Belle cringed as the needle pricked her palm. Klaus sat on the edge of the tub next to her as he sewed up her wound - she stubbornly refused to use his blood. Not that he expected otherwise.

Minutes before, he and most of the compound's residents had rushed to her aid, otherwise known as gawking from the doorway to ease their curiosity. Until she swore at them and forced them to leave.

Belle explained the current situation when she realized who might be responsible: the witch that had "knocked her out", more like hexed her.

"Sorry," he mumbled as he continued stitching the gash. "It's been a while since I've done this."

"Yay me," she deadpanned. "Shouldn't you call one of your witches? I mean, a witch did this to me. Who else is going to help?" Her eyes focused on the movements of his fingers, trying to calm her nerves. For the first time in a long while, she felt incredibly vulnerable. Vulnerable and confused.

Klaus let out a sigh that sounded more like a huff of frustration. "I have Davina on it at the moment. When we're done here you can show her the witch that attacked you." He took the stained towel Belle had used earlier and ran it under the faucet. With uncharacteristic tenderness, he wiped the blood from her now stitched hand and clipped the excess tread with a pair of scissors. "There."

"Fantastic." She examined her hand for a moment before looking back at him. "Thanks, Nik." She smiled, tempted to kiss him.

However, he must've been preoccupied because he stood and headed for the door. "Come on." His voice was stern and urgent.

She frowned. Belle was normally fond, if not overly, of Klaus in all of his moods. But control-freak wasn't the best color on him. Although, there were times when she didn't exactly mind him being in that mood. She suppressed a smirk. _'Get your mind out of the gutter, Campbell.'_

She got to her feet and followed him downstairs.

They found Davina sitting on the floor, surrounded by a sea of ancient, tattered spellbooks.

Klaus cleared his throat, hands folded behind his back. "How goes the search, little witch?"

Davina sat up a little taller and turned to face them. "Well, considering that you've given me like 15 minutes and absolutely nothing to go on, not very well." She rolled her eyes, turning back to her books.

Klaus's face contorted as he attempted to control his temper. "Well, I'm sure the face of the witch responsible will be of some assistance." Sarcasm filled his voice, though his face was virtually emotionless.

Davina and Klaus turned to Belle, who didn't seem the least bit amused. She wasn't exactly thrilled about letting someone she hardly knew into her thoughts. Trust issues and all. She huffed, sensing the growing annoyance that filled the room. "Fuck it. Here." She stepped over the books and stuck out her undamaged hand to Davina, who wearily accepted.

They closed their eyes as Belle dropped the veil that concealed her thoughts and let Davina see, just for a few seconds, the image of Claudia and the young witch in the La Fayette Cemetery.

Davina gasped and pulled away, reopening her eyes. "I recognize her, the witch. Her name is Cassie, she was a Harvest girl, like me." Her brows knit together. "She's dead, or, at least, she's supposed to be. If she's back, why would she be helping your mother?" She looked at Belle with confused puppy-dog eyes.

Trying not to cringe after hearing the words_ "your mother"_, Belle signed deeply and shrugged. "Claudia's very persuasive. My best guess is that she made some false promises about power or protection to her, but I'm not too keen on witch business." Belle stumbled out of the pile of books and began pacing anxiously as her mind processed every possible option.

"And I'm guessing you have no way of contacting this 'Cassie' to figure out what the hell she did?" Klaus asked, though it was more like a demand.

Davina shook her head. "Like I said, as far as I and the rest of the witches knew, she was dead."

"Then find her!" Klaus and Belle spoke in perfect unison. Davina stared back at them with wide eyes. "Please," Belle added, trying to soften the mood.

Davina nodded. "In the mean time, I'll try to figure out something about curses and hexes involving vampires. I've never heard of one that turns a vampire human before."

"I'm not human," Belle snapped. She took a moment to regain her composure. "I'm still a vampire, just less of a vampire, somehow, I think." Anxiously, her eyes darted around the room aimlessly. "I'm going to take a shower or something. I don't know," she groaned, raking her hands through her loose, disheveled curls as she headed upstairs.

Once she reached the bathroom, Belle slipped out of her clothes, which felt like weights that insistently dragged her down.

She turned on the water for the shower and stepped in, sliding the glass door close. The water was warm and felt almost freeing as the stress in her muscles slowly ebbed away.

Her peace was disturbed when a knock came from the bathroom door. She knew without looking that it was Klaus. "What?" she groaned, trying to sound less irritated than she really was to spare his feelings.

The door creaked open. Belle looked out the foggy shower door as his clouded figure entered the room. She slid open the door enough to peer out at him. "Can I help you?" she asked, grinning at his amused expression. For thousand-year- old man, Klaus had the tendencies to act like a teenage boy. Not that she was much better at times.

"Rough day?"

She chuckled. "You have no idea. Family drama, witch hexes, blood."

"The usual?" He smirked.

"Pretty much." A quiet laugh slipped through her lips. She cocked her head to the side, trying to figure out what he was thinking. "What?" She laughed.

His eyes wandered from hers to her lips to neck and to farther down to the parts that, to his dismay, the shower door blurred. He frowned and pushed it open, trailing his heated gaze back up to her pale blue eyes that were watching him like he was the most fascinating sight in the world.

Before she could make a snarky remark, his lips were on hers and they were in the shower standing under the warm water. His dry clothes were now almost completely soaked, but neither of them cared.

* * *

Later that night they lay in bed, side by side, facing each other as they listened to the cars passing by and the sounds of their breathing.

Belle's eyes fluttered shut for a moment, but she forced them open. "Nik," she whispered, drawing his attention to her.

"Yes?" He inched closer to her. "What is it?" He could tell from the look in her eyes that something was bothering her. And the way her eyebrows knit together like she was thinking too hard about something. That was never a good sign.

She held one of his hands in her own, half expecting him to pull away at the contact, though she didn't quite know why. She couldn't stand to say what she wanted to while looking him in the eyes, so she watched their hands, intertwined above the blankets. She meshed their fingers together absentmindedly.

"I," she hesitated. "I'm afraid." Those were two words she hasn't said in a very long time. She exhaled and looked back into his eyes which were full of concern and, oddly, empathy. "I don't know what's happening to me."


	24. Chapter 24

**A.N. - Check out the new cover image! It looks like a rom-com ;D Anyway, be sure to R&amp;R. Enjoy. It's going to be epic. No spoilers ;)**

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Song: Awolnation - _I Am_

A month had flown by and somehow both everything and nothing had changed. Hope grew like a flower, somehow getting more adorable and beautiful with each passing day. There was no news on Claudia or the illusive Cassie, despite Klaus' tireless efforts to hunt them down. Belle was finally adjusting to her new condition, which still puzzled her and everyone else. And Davina had yet to find a cure or any semblance of an explanation for what was happening.

Belle and Klaus lay across from each other in their bed, just inches apart. It was late in the morning, around ten. The sun cast bright white light into the room, reflecting in Klaus' eyes as Belle stared absentmindedly into them.

"We should probably get up now," she murmured. Though neither of them made a move to do so.

"That's the third time you've said that in the past half-hour."

Her stomach growled obnoxiously, disturbing the silence that followed his words. She groaned. "Guess I'll actually have do it this time. I forgot how finicky the human body is."

She rolled away and stood, stretching her arms toward the ceiling before putting on a raspberry-colored silk robe.

"I thought you weren't labeling your condition as 'human'." He smirked a little before getting up and pulling on some clothes that set out on the back of a chair. A black t-shirt and blue jeans: the Klaus usual.

She rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean." She headed toward her dresser and pulled out a plain navy sundress and clean underwear. Her robe slipped off her shoulders to the floor, pooling at her feet. She kicked it away and got dressed.

"I'm gonna go downstairs." She turned around, suddenly face-to-face with Klaus. She stood on her tiptoes and quickly pecked him on the lips. "I assume you'll be preoccupied." She put her hand lightly on his chest, feeling his heartbeat beneath her fingertips.

"Aren't I always?" He smirked, holding her hand in his own for a moment before letting it fall to her side.

She smiled and headed out the door. She went downstairs to the kitchen where Elijah and Rebekah sat. They were drinking tea while Elijah flipped through the local newspaper. She went to the china cabinet, grabbed a teacup and a saucer, and plopped down in the chair to Elijah's right, across from Rebekah.

"So," she started, pouring herself a cup of tea. "How are we today?" She sipped her tea, eyeing them curiously.

"Fine, thank you." Elijah glanced in her direction.

"How's being human, or whatever you're calling it?" Rebekah asked. Belle could've sworn she heard a hint of genuine concern. Granted, it was covered by a bitchy tone.

She sighed. "It's a pain in the ass, but I'll manage." She put down her cup and picked up a muffin from the tray in the center of the table and picked at it absentmindedly.

Her mind strayed to what it was to be human. On the outside, it meant to be weak, fragile, mortal. But at its core, being human was beautiful. Humans have so many possibilities right at their fingertips: birthdays that actually mean something, having children, growing old with the one you love. Sometimes she felt that she'd give up everything she had to be like that. Human, beautifully human.

She decided to take another crack at finding Claudia at her former home in the countryside, the one that used to be hers. Since Klaus was out, she took Elijah with her. Under the current circumstances Klaus didn't want her going out alone.

"Are you absolutely certain she's here?" Elijah glanced at her from the driver's seat. They were just pulling into the driveway.

"I'm not, but it couldn't hurt to double check." She looked ahead toward the house. There were no cars out front and the landscaping looked a little overgrown, like no one had been there for a few months. She frowned as Elijah stopped the car and they got out.

Elijah walked up the stairs toward the front door. She trailed behind him, looking around suspiciously, trying to find any sign that she, or anyone for that matter, was there. Any clue would help since they had squat.

The interior somehow looked even more vacant than the exterior. A layer of dust coated every visible surface. The Victorian styled furniture that was there the last time she, for lack of a better word, visited, was now covered with plain white sheets. The walls were barren aside from a few lighting fixtures.

"Another dead end, as expected." Elijah crossed the floors, hands in the pockets of his dark gray slacks.

"Just because no one's here doesn't mean that they didn't leave anything behind that could help us. You check the living room. I'll check the downstairs bedrooms."

He nodded and started his search.

Belle knew the house like the back of her hand, so it took her no time to find the room she was looking for, which was the master bedroom. Claudia would've no doubt chosen to stay in that room. After all, she needed the extra space for her huge ego.

The door creaked as she turned the knob and opened it. A massive bed dominated the room, while a few worn wooden chests and bookcases lined the walls.

The first thing that caught her eye was the chest at the foot of the bed. It had a lock on it, but the lock was open and the top was raised ever so slightly. She walked over, the floor boards creaking beneath her feet, and pulled off the lock, tossing it aside. She lifted the top.

The inside was dark, so it took her eyes a few seconds to adjust. A dusty old quilt and throw pillows filled the box. She pulled them out one by one, tossing them to the side and coughing as dust and a musty smell filled her nose.

Beneath everything, almost completely camouflaged, was a small wooden box with a lock on it. Claudia sure loved her secrets. She picked it up and tried to open it, but the lid wouldn't budge. Her face contorted in frustration as she dusted it off with her free hand. There was something carved on the top, but she couldn't make it out. She stuffed it into her bag and moved on to the other rooms. Whatever was in the box must have been at least mildly important since Claudia had locked it and hidden the key.

To her disappointment, she found nothing else in the rest of the house. She and Elijah met up at the bottom of the stairs where they had originally split up.

"Did you find anything?" He asked.

She shook her head. "Not really." She reached into her bag and showed him the box. "Just this, but it's locked. It's probably nothing, but I'd rather take it than leave empty handed."

He nodded. "We should go back." She nodded and followed him out.

As they were walking to the car, Belle was overcome with nausea. She leant again one of the columns on the porch, steadying herself.

Elijah turned and rushed over to her, chivalrous as ever. "Are you alright?"

Her face paled. "I don't think," before she could finish, she bent over and gagged as she spewed vomit all over Elijah's expensive leather shoes. He cringed, but didn't say anything. "Sorry." She stood up as much as she could, putting a hand on his forearm to balance herself.

"Here," he said, taking the handkerchief from his pocket and handing it to her.

"Thank you." She wiped her mouth with it a and dropped it on the ground, knowing Elijah wouldn't want it back soiled and reaking of camomile tea and blueberry muffins. "Sorry about your shoes."

He shook his head. "Let's get something to settle your stomach. There should be a gas station or a drugstore a few miles from here."

She nodded and held on to his arm as he walked her back to the car. "Don't worry, I'll try not to puke in your car. Just roll down a window."

They found a gas station about ten minutes down the road. Elijah got out to wash off his shoes with the nossel that's typically used to wash windshields and fill the car with gas.

"I'm going to see if they have any Pepto-Bismal or something." Belle headed inside.

She headed for the medicine isle at the back of the store. She browsed the shelves until she found what she was looking for. She held the bottle of medicine in one hand as her eyes fell upon a row of lavender boxes labeled, "at home pregnancy test".

She shook her head. "Don't be ridiculous," she muttered to herself. She turned to walk away, but she couldn't let herself leave without at least checking. She grabbed a box, checked to see if the cashier was looking, and snuck into the bathroom, leaving the Pepto on the counter.

She sat on a ring on toilet paper that she had covered the seat with and waited for the results. "This is stupid. This is stupid. This is so damn stupid." She had recited this mantra under her breath for the past five minutes, but still hasn't swayed the little naive voice in the back of her head.

She closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath before looking down at the stick. A little pink plus sign was etched onto the screen.

Her eyes widened and the stick fell from her grasp, falling to the dingey tile floor with a quiet thud that echoed throughout the tiny restroom.

She stared straight ahead but she saw nothing. Shock couldn't begin to describe the feeling that filled her entire body. It felt like needles were pricking her from head to toe, but at the same time she felt numb.

Her hand moved to her stomach, brushing over it through the material of her shirt. She barely felt it - even with what little of her heightened senses that remained - something she never thought she'd feel again. A tiny flutter.

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**A.N. - Thoughts? I'm very curious!**


	25. Chapter 25

**A.N. - Thank you so so so much to everyone who reviewed last chapter! I love getting feedback :) I'm so excited for this twist. Without further a do, let's jump into it! Enjoy!**

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Song: Daughter - _Shallows_

With shaking hands, Belle pulled her phone from her bag and dialed Klaus' number, all the while trying not to have a full-blown panic attack. What would she say? More importantly, what would he say?

She tried to calm herself down by listening to the sound of each ring on the opposite line, but it only made her anxious. After six rings, it went to voicemail. "Why do you never answer your fucking phone?" she nearly screamed before hanging up before the message started to record.

She angrily stuffed her phone and the capped pregnancy test into her bag and marched out of the restroom, trying to regain her composure before she went back to the car. She didn't want Elijah to think anything was up, which was definitely an understatement. Everything was completely upside down.

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*Flashback - 1075*

Belle was walking back the village after picking the berries and herbs her mother had sent her to collect. She wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead with the back of her free hand. It was springtime and the weather was rapidly warming up.

Suddenly, she was overcome with a nauseated feeling, which was unusual because she was rarely ill, especially this time of the year. She steadied herself against a tree, setting down the woven basket she was carrying in her right hand. She took a few deep breaths, hoping to quell the queasiness that made her stomach feel like it was filled with a flock of unruly starlings, trying to fly out through her mouth.

Unfortunately, this did her no good because moments later she keeled over and vomited profusely on the ground in front of her, covering the leaves and twigs below. She wrinkled her nose at the stench and stood up straight once the feeling passed. She wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her dress, not concerning herself with the extra bit of filth.

Leaning her back against the tree, she took a few seconds to clear her thoughts and make sure she wouldn't get sick again.

She remembered that she had to meet Baron after sundown, that is if she could manage to sneak away from Claudia and shirk her duties as an older sister for a little while so she could spend some alone time with the man she soon hoped to marry, not that he had hinted about any intentions of doing so. The sooner she married him, the sooner she'd be able to start a family of her own.

She had always been too "boyish" for the more feminine things; she much preferred watching her father train her younger brothers to fight in the hopes of becoming as talented warriors as he was. She often found herself fantasizing about becoming a warrior herself, though she knew it'd never happen.

But the one thing she craved more than learning to fight was something not out of the ordinary for a girl her age: a child. Growing up as the eldest sister meant having to take care of all of her younger siblings, which wasn't as much of a chore as she had once thought it to be. She loved watching them grow up into young men and ladies. Watching them learn to walk and talk. Consoling them when they were upset. Picking them up when they fell. Protecting them from harm. It made her feel important.

She smiled and absentmindedly placed a hand over her stomach, imagining what it'd be like to feel a child's kick beneath her fingertips.

Her eyebrows knit together. Something felt different about the contact. She shifted her hand around on her stomach. It felt bigger, bloated. She glanced down, pulling back the material of her dress to get a clearer view. Sure enough, her stomach was oddly distended.

She had a sudden epiphany: what if she was pregnant? She remembered when Claudia was pregnant with Colton, it was one of her earlier memories. She remembered her mother being horribly ill during the first few months of the pregnancy.

A smile crept onto her face as she moved her other hand to cradle her stomach as though her child were already born and in her arms.

She began working out the plan in her head. She would tell Baron about the child tonight, he would ask her father for her hand, and then she and Baron could marry and start their family. Away from Claudia where her toxic influence couldn't ruin her child like it had ruined her.

Everything was changing for the better. Soon, she would be free.

* * *

*Present*

Elijah was waiting for her outside, leaning against the driver's side door of his Mercedes. "Are you alright? How are you feeling?"

She waved him off, shaking her head. "I'm fine. Must've been something I ate. They didn't have any medicine, so I'll just wait it out i guess. I should be fine though," she rambled, wanting someone to be kind enough to shut her up before she came off as conspicuous. "Let's go, bro." She mentally kicked herself.

He chuckled and unlocked the car.

All Belle had to worry about was not spilling the beans before she got to talk to Klaus. Face-to-face.

When they got home, Belle found Klaus outside of this his study yacking away to Marcel about something; she didn't care to try to figure it out or ask. Whatever it was was definitely not as important as what she was preparing to tell him. She grabbed Klaus by the arm and turned to Marcel, who looked annoyed, and barked, "Go away." She dragged Klaus away into his study and closed the door behind them, tossing her purse onto a nearby chair.

The room was silent for a few moments, aside from the sound of her heart pattering like a machine gun. She rubbed her sweaty palms on her dress before looking up into Klaus' curious and irritated gaze.

"Was there any particular motivation for dragging me away like a dog?"

She rolled her eyes. "I thought you didn't like dog jokes."

His eyes narrowed.

"Okay. There's something I need to talk to you about." She sighed deeply, trying to think of what to say. With each passing moment her anxiety increased. In one ballsy moment she blurted it out. "I'm pregnant."

She cautiously examined his face as her processed her words. His brow creased at first. So far so good, maybe confusion. Her stomach dropped when his entire face contorted.  
"Are," she bit her lip anxiously. "Are you angry?"

"Angry?" He scoffed. "Why does everyone always assume the worst from me? Of course the temperamental bastard with anger issues would jump to throwing a tantrum! Heaven forbid I act rationally, right?"

"Nik,"

"No." He threw his arms in the air. "I'll play the role I've been given."

"Please, don't. I'm sorry, just"

"Do you have any inclination as to what this means? Not only are we dealing with this bloody curse and your deranged mother, but now you're bringing another child into it?"

She cut him off, her eyes narrowed. "Are you seriously blaming me? It takes two people to make a baby, genius! You should know!"

"And there it is. Yet again another infantile, jealous,"

"Infantile? It's a fact!"

He stepped forward, closing the space between them and replacing it with tension. "What about Hope? Now we'll have two children to protect! Have you even thought of that?"

She flinched. "Of course I have! But have you thought about me?" Her voice was lower, but still sharp. "What about me? Don't I matter? The world doesn't revolve around you."

"It's not myself I'm concerned about right now!" His patience was long gone now, as was hers.

She scoffed. "There's a first. Niklaus Mikaelson, the biggest narcissist on the planet is thinking of others, which unfortunately doesn't include the woman he loves, who is also now the mother of his unborn child. Wow," she said with mocking enthusiasm. "You know what, forget it. We'll discuss this when you're ready to act like an adult." She turned and opened the door, lingering in the doorway. "I was stupid for even thinking you'd be rational about this." She ran downstairs, knowing that he'd follow her, but not caring.

"Where are you going?" Sure enough, he was right at her heels.

She turned around and gave him the most stern expression she could manage. "I need to clear my head. And so help me God, if you follow me, or try to stop me," she couldn't find the right words to say. Or maybe she was just too afraid to say them.

Ignoring the wounded look in his eyes, she went down to the garage, grabbed the keys to her favorite car, and drove away, destination unknown.

* * *

She had left an hour ago. Since then Klaus had paced the floors of nearly every room in the house, finally returning to his study.

He sat down in a regal plush chair, shifting when he realized he was what he realized was Belle's purse. He was about to toss it aside carelessly, but something caught his eye: a white plastic stick with a purple cap. He opened the bag for clearer view and discovered that it was, as he had guessed, a pregnancy test. Granted he had never had any personal experience with one.

He turned it over in his hand and saw a pink plus sign in the center of a small white oval on the front. He knew now that she wasn't lying. Though he wasn't sure he had ever doubted her. He set it aside on a coffee table and rested his elbows on his knees, leaning forward and putting his head in his hands.

The thought of having another child filled him with a feeling he hated, yet that was all too familiar: fear. Fear did awful things to him. And it made him do awful things.


	26. Chapter 26

**A.N. - SUMMER BREAK FOR ME! Now I can write more often - and you know, do productive things with my life...**

**I'll be starting a Klaroline (TVD) story soon, so follow me to be notified when it's up.**

**If you have any baby names please suggest them in the reviews! I'm thinking of something in the Old English range. Also, leave any suggestions, flashbacks you'd like, characters you want to see more of, or anything else like that. Thanks for the support so far. Enjoy :)**

* * *

Fighting back the tears that started to burn her eyes, Belle navigated through the traffic of New Orleans, on her way out of the city. She glanced back in her rearview mirror when something caught her eye. "Sabrina!"

Her youngest sister shot up from the back seat like she had been electrocuted. "Crap! Sorry," she said, climbing over the console into the passenger seat. She had a worn copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ in one hand and a travel mug in the other. Her hair was messed up in the back from where she had been lying down. "I was reading."

Belle shot her a questioning look. "In the back of my Audi? Really?" She tried to laugh, but it came out distorted and strained.

"Yeah. It's quiet in the garage." She shrugged and put her book on the dash and drink in a cup holder. She put on her seatbelt and smoothed out her hair with her fingers. "Where are you going?" Sabrina's eyes lingered on Belle's face, noticing the tears that glistened in her eyes and her ragged breathing.

Belle shrugged, keeping her eyes trained on the highway that stretched out before her.

"Are you okay?"

The tears finally started to spill over. "Do I look like I'm okay to you?" It came off harsher than she meant it to. The sprinkle of tears quickly turned into an uncontrollable hurricane as she began hyperventilating, unable to contain the confusing mixture of emotions for another second.

"Here, just pull over and let me drive," Sabrina said soothingly, reaching over to grab her hand - Belle couldn't tell whether it was a move to comfort her or to keep her from swerving off the road.

She nodded and turned onto a side road that headed out toward the country, stopping the car on the vacant dirt road. She and Sabina unbuckled and got out of the car, silently crossing paths as they moved to opposite ends of the car.

Sabrina continued down the road once they were both buckled in. "Feel any better?"

Belle shook her head. "Not really, no." She said, pausing in between each word to let out a quiet, strangled sob.

"Here," Sabrina picked up her cup with one hand, keeping a firm grasp on the steering wheel with the other, and offered it to Belle. "It's green tea." She gave her a small, sympathetic smile.

Belle returned her smile, taking the cup in her hands. "Thanks." She took a long drink, nearly finishing off what was left.

It was strange, being taken care of. It was nice, and, at the same time, unnerving and unnatural.

"What's wrong?" Sabrina side-glanced at her.

"Everything," Belle mumbled, putting the cup back in the cupholder. She wiped away the tear streaks from under her eyes, avoiding Sabrina's curious gaze. "But at the moment, Klaus is practically blaming me for something that isn't even my fault, something that, until about three hours ago, I didn't think was possible."

"Didn't think what was possible?"

"Having children."

After a moment, Belle looked over at her youngest sister, watching as she processed this new information. "Wait, you're pregnant?" she asked in confusion and shock. Her eyes lingered on Belle for a longer period of time than they probably should have considering that they were hurtling down the road at over 60 miles an hour.

Belle nodded. "It would appear so."

"And Klaus is blaming you?"

"Pretty much."

She frowned. "Wow. I'm sorry, Belle. Is there anything I can do to help? Do you want to go home and try talking to him again or something?"

"No." Belle shook her head. "Just drive."

The sun had set hours ago, casting a dim glow of moonlight onto the city. Klaus stood in front of an easel - the same place he'd been for hours - as he worked on his latest piece. It was abstract with dark, warm hues tossed together in a quarrel on the canvas. To anyone else, it probably didn't look like much, like something a child in any preschool class could make. But to him, it was a small insight into the raging war in his mind.

Normally he was able to make peace with his demons, to chain them up and keep their wrath at bay, but they were pulling hard to their restraints, trying to break free. He was loosing the will and the power to hold them back, so, as he always did when he sought control, he painted. And no one disturbed him.

That is until a familiar voice pierced the silence he had cloaked himself in. "Painting, are we?"

He didn't turn to face her, keeping his gaze on the canvas, moving his brush along the canvas as she streaked more color on it. "It was either this or tearing the heads off a few tourists. I chose the moral high ground."

"How mature of you." Her tone was even rather than the sarcasm he was expecting. She walked over to stand by his side, her feet hardly making a sound as she crossed the wooden floor.

He raised an eyebrow, but still didn't look at her. "As opposed to my childish behavior earlier?" He dipped his brush into the glob of black paint on the palette in his left hand.

"Let's not start this again, please. We're both adults and I think we should have this discussion as such. I realize that my earlier approach wasn't the best and I'm sorry. I was moody and irrational and kind of bitch." She scoffed at her own words.

At last, his eyes met hers, but only for a second. "Is that an apology, or do my ears deceive me?" There was an obvious hint of humor in his voice, though his expression showed no sign of it.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, you moron. Now it's your turn."

He let out a long sigh that was more of a groan and put down the brush and palette and turned to face her. "You know I don't apologize, love." His tone bordered on snarky.

Her jaw tightened. "But you are sorry, right?"

He hesitated for a moment. "I'm sorry for upsetting you, but I won't apologize for being concerned about my daughter's safety or the safety of our unborn child."

A wide grin made its way across Belle's face, replacing the scowl and knit brow.

"What?" Klaus asked obliviously.

"You just said _our_ child." She smiled wider and took a few steps closer to him.

He smirked. "Did I?" He closed the gap between them, pulling her against his body and draping his arms loosely around her waist as he looked into her eyes, almost letting himself get lost in their pale blue depths.

"Yeah, you did."

He pulled himself back to reality after a few seconds, trying not to get swept away in the moment. He had to focus on the topic at hand, address the elephant in the room. "What are we going to do?"

She sighed. "I don't know. Adoption? Ooh, maybe Rebekah will take it." Her voice was coated with a thick layer of sarcasm.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm serious."

"What else would we do? In roughly eight months I'll have the baby and we'll all be one big dysfunctional family."

He smiled. "Dysfunction is the norm around here, I suppose." He chuckled.

She sighed. "Now comes the hard part."

Klaus raised an eyebrow.

"We have to tell everyone," she said.


	27. Chapter 27

**A.N. - We're so close to 100 favs and 100 reviews! Let's make it happen people :)**

**I'm still in the process of planning my Klaroline story, in case anyone was curious. The title will be "A Thing Of The Past". PM me if you're curious about what I'm planning, or tweet me if you follow me on twitter (HaylijahIsLife).**

**Review and enjoy!**

* * *

A collection of tools lay on the floor of Klaus's study in a circle, with Belle at their center. She had a small crowbar in her hands at the moment, trying to pry open the small box she had found in Claudia's old room.

She'd already tired everything she could think of: picking the lock with a hair pin, pulling the lock off with pliers, breaking the box with a hammer, and about twenty other things. She was seriously starting to consider using a blowtorch, but decided that possibly burning down the house was too big of a risk.

"Come on, you bastard! Open!"

She tried to wedge the edge of the crowbar between the top of the box and the rest, but it wouldn't budge. No doubt the box was protected by some spell, making it the cockroach of boxes. Indestructible.

Her hands were red and sore since she had been at it for well over an hour.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Belle turned to the door, meeting Colton's amused eyes. "Building a rocket. What the hell does it look like?" She rolled her eyes and went back to her futile attempts to master the art of opening magically protected boxes. "The damned thing is protected by a spell. It won't open and it won't break."

She exhaled in frustration and chucked the useless tool across the room, sending it clattering the floor, roughly 10 feet away. She really hated not having her full vampire abilities. It was a bigger pain than the box.

Colton's eyebrows knit together. "If it's a witchy thing, why don't you just have a witch help you? There's one that lives here, right?"

"Thank you Captain Obvious." She rolled her eyes. "For your information, I've already tried that. Davina couldn't even make a dent, not that this is even in the running for a priority of hers since, you know, she is trying to figure out what the hell's going on with me right now."

She stood up and packed away the tools into a box, leaving the box on Klaus's desk.

"Speaking of, how are you?" Colton stepped farther into the room, putting his hands on the back of a cushioned chair as he watched his elder sister with uncharacteristic caution as though she were a toddler playing on a playground for the first time and he was the parent.

She glanced back at him as she locked the tool box. "With the whole pregnancy thing? I'm fine. Well, better than fine." She paused, turning to face him. "I'm..." She struggled to find the right words since it seemed that none could even begin to encapsulate the feeling the bubbled within her. She could barely contain it as she put her hands on the front of the desk, leaning back and smiling like an idiot at nothing in particular.

"Fanfuckingtastic?" Colton suggested, laughing.

"Exactly, I guess." She laughed too, sharing a moment with her youngest brother. It was nice, normal even. Well, as normal as their family got.

It was about 3:00 in the afternoon when Audrey approached the living room with trepidation, a note in her right hand. She grasped it carefully between her thumb and index finger, seeming unsure about what to do with it.

Elijah raised an eyebrow, looking up from the book he was reading. "What is that?" He stood as he spoke, walking over to her warily.

Belle opened her eyes and propped herself up by her elbows. She was trying, a failing, to take a nap on the couch.

Carefully, Audrey handed the note to Elijah. "It's addressed to all of us - the Mikaelsons and Campbells. Doesn't say who it's from though."

Belle frowned. "What does it say, Elijah?"

A small crowd consisting of Audrey, Belle, Rebekah and Max formed around Elijah, awaiting his response.

"It says, 'Dinner. Your home. 8p.m.' "

"Dinner? Who the bloody hell sent that?" Rebekah snatched the note from Elijah's grasp examined it for herself.

"Who sends a note and doesn't sign it?" Max asked, standing behind Rebekah.

"Stalkers," Audrey muttered.

Belle backed away from the small crowd. "Where did you find this?"

She pointed toward the courtyard. "Out there on a table. There was a shit-ton of food on the table too.

Belle led the way, walking as quickly as her stout legs would allow. Sure enough, there was a rectangular table that could seat at least six around it that was covered with an assortment of edible goods.

Max eyed it curiously, taking a bread roll when he thought no one was looking and stuffing it in his mouth.

Klaus descended the stairs from the left, eyeing the scene with suspicion. "What's all this?" His voice was firm and sharp.

"It would appear we've been invited to host and unknown guest for dinner this evening." Elijah passed the note to Klaus, who eyed it thoroughly.

"And who, pray tell, left all this?" He tossed the paper onto the table dismissively, though Belle could see the gears working in his mind behind his eyes. He was developing a plan.

A bird chirped from overhead before it landed on the table, perched on a perfectly cooked ham.

"Is that a starling?" Rebekah's brows knit together as she reached for the bird, who flew away to perch on the rafters above them.

Their eyes stayed locked on the small feathered creature, who was singing without care over their heads.

Klaus and Elijah exchanged a look. "You don't suppose," Elijah began.

"That's exactly what I'm thinking," Klaus cut in.

Belle groaned. "We're not mind readers, guys. What's happening?"

Klaus's eyes met hers. For a moment she could've sworn she saw a glint of fear in them. If there was any, it was quickly smothered by the fury that ignited in his blue eyes. "Ester."

The house was being set up for what appeared to be a pretentious, lavished dinner, but from the look in everyone's eyes - namely Klaus' - it was like they were preparing for battle. Their dresses and suits were armor. Their silverware were weapons. Belle was definitely muling over the idea of throwing an especially sharp knife right at Claudia's head. Her lessened senses hadn't dulled her accuracy; it was forever ingrained into her, like knowing how to breathe. She didn't have to think about it.

A series of gruesome, diabolical schemes went through her head as she turned a letter opener over in her hand absentmindedly, thinking about all the creative ways she could make that woman suffer with just that one object.

She scoffed under her breath, realizing how much she sounded like Klaus. Not that that was a bad thing.

Her train of thought halted when Klaus came up from behind her. She'd been ready for at least half an hour and had been waiting for him to finish up. He was devastatingly handsome in his black suit with a white button-up shirt under the jacket and tie that had hundreds of small diamond shapes woven into the fabric, each tiny shape a different shade of either blue or gray. It reminded her of the ocean on a cloudy day.

She smirked. "Is the white shirt really a good choice? The blood will stand out far more."

"I assume that's why you're wearing black?" He smirked back, his dimples starting to show.

She loved his dimples. They made him look so innocent under his rugged exterior.

"Yeah. And I'm gearing up for two funerals. I'm thinking of having them on the beach, so everyone can enjoy themselves and we can send their burning corpses into the gulf." She laughed.

Klaus raised his eyebrows. "Viking funeral? Traditional and simple."

"Seriously though, what do you have planned? What if Claudia doesn't come with Ester? Or what if neither of them is even involved? We can't be certain."

He sighed and put his hands in his pockets, leaning back against the bed, looking so casual and cool like he usually did. Family strife was something he was all too familiar with.

"We've got it handled. Your mother will be a fairly easy target up against three Originals, not to mention if your siblings help," he said.

She rose an eyebrow skeptically at him. "And yours?"

His jaw clenched, but loosened when he spoke. "We'll figure out what to do with her."

Belle tried not to roll her eyes, keeping them locked on his. "You're kidding."

His expression hardened.

"You're not just going to 'figure out what to do'. Please tell me there's a plan, Klaus."

"It's a bit difficult to plan an attack when just a few hours ago we had no idea she was even alive. We don't know what her intentions are, nor do we know what weapons she has in her arsenal. If you haven't noticed, you're rather fragile at the moment. We can't just go taking risks on whims, Belinda," he snapped.

She balled her hands into fists and clenched her jaw just as tightly at the sound of the name her mother had given her. She took a deep breath, pretending to be calmer than she actually was. "Fine, Niklaus," she snap at him like it was poison. "We'll just wait. Let's get this over with." She stomped out of the room, her heels clicking against the wood below her feet, avoiding his eyes.

According to the clock in the dining room it was 8:00 p.m. on the dot.

Everyone started seating themselves around the table. Klaus sat at the head of the table, Belle to his left, Elijah to his right. Rebekah, Max and Audrey sat next to Elijah while Colton and Sabrina sat next to Belle, leaving a chair by Sabrina and the other chair at the opposite head open for their two_ "guests",_ although being a guest implies that someone was actually invited and didn't just invite themself_._

Compelled servers put out the china and silverware at each place mat along with a glass of wine at each seat, except for Belle and Sabrina, who had wine glasses filled with sparkling water - Sabrina didn't drink. Belle figured it had something to do with their mothers' old habit of hitting the bottle too hard, but she didn't want to ask.

The stale, anxious silence was broken by the sound of shoes crossing the floor, coming from outside the dining room. They were light, almost like a child's. There was a visible shift in the mood of the room; everyone tensed up, preparing themselves for what was about to walk through the doorway. Klaus sat up taller, putting on an intimidating gaze and stern expression. Seconds later, a figure emerged from the shadows into the room. A girl, no older than sixteen or seventeen with short dark hair and eyes that looked black in the dim lighting. Belle recognized her as the girl from the cemetery: _Cassie_. Her lips curled into a smile, though her eyes were shooting daggers into everyone who looked into them.

"Hello, my children." She looked straight at Klaus, Rebekah and Elijah. "How I've missed you." Her smile widened, now showing her teeth along with two dimples at the corners of her lips.

The way she carried herself, the confident - almost motherly - look in her eyes as she watched the three Originals carefully, made it completely obvious, despite the doubtful look on Klaus' face. This was her -_ Ester Mikaelson_.

Klaus narrowed his eyes, wary before letting the word slip past his lips, which were set in a firm line, "Mother?"

A wide smile remained fixed on her face as her eyes locked with his. "My son."


	28. Chapter 28

**A.N. - Thanks so much for the support! 102 favs, 143 follows and 99 so far! Wow :) Keep it up! Please review and enjoy. Leave any suggestions or questions in a review.**

* * *

Song: Earlyrise - _Moments_

As if on cue, Claudia emerged from the shadows behind Ester. She moved slowly and confidently, like a snake slinking through the grass toward its prey. Unlike Ester, her face was expressionless. She eyed her children with lifeless eyes as she allowed Ester to continue.

"We'd like to thank you all for inviting us into your charming home."

"Well the pleasure is all ours." Klaus' voice dripped with sarcasm. "Then again, you did invite yourselves."

Ester smirked. She and Claudia took their seats - Ester at the head and Claudia by Sabrina. "Well we thought this would be the most pleasant way to sit down and discuss what we need to."

"And what would that be?" Elijah asked, taking a small sip of his wine.

Belle was itching for a drink - a real drink.

"We both want the same thing: to reunite our families. To right the wrongs in our pasts." Claudia spoke for the first time that evening. Her eyes wandered aimlessly as thought she were bored, or anxious.

Belle scoffed. "Isn't that what you said the last time we were sitting at the same table?"

"It's still a bunch of bullshit," Max snapped. There was a look in his eyes that Belle hadn't seen for years. There was a fire in them. A raging, angry mass of flames that he couldn't hide. "If you wanted us to be a family again you would stop terrorizing us like the fucking Gestapo!" His voice shook with conviction.

Claudia flinched. "I've never terrorized you." Her voice was almost...frail. Her expression softened.

Max snorted and opened his mouth to release some smart remark before Belle stopped him. "Max," she warned. "Now is not the time." She looked at Claudia and Ester with a stern gaze and crossed her arms over her chest. "Get to the point. Some of us lack patience."

Ester held up a hand. "Patience is key. We'll 'get to the point' soon enough."

Everyone in the room held their tongue. Even Klaus, strangely.

The servers brought out food, but no one touched it. They just stared at each other, waiting for someone to blink.

"Belinda," Claudia said, holding her wine glass by the stem as she swirled it around. "How are you?" Her stern expression faltered, but Belle couldn't tell what she was trying to mask.

Belle rolled her eyes. "It took you nine centuries to ask me that question," she mused, locking eyes with her mother. Identical hues of light blue piercing one another to no avail.

"Well I've been curious ever since I found out about that little accident you've been carrying around for the past month." She said it smoothly as though it didn't phase her. Another bastard child? No surprise there.

Belle narrowed her eyes. "How do you know that?" It took all of her self control to not throw the knife that was just inches away from her hand right at Claudia's neck as she watched her mother's face contort into a mangled, distorted form of a smirk.

"I know many things, like what's in that stubborn little box you found." She looked down as she fished something out of the clutch bag she had been carrying. "In fact, I happen to be in possession of the key that will open it." She held a thin leather cord in her closed fist, letting it dangle from her grasp. The light from the candles illuminated the dull gold.

Belle's narrowed, skeptical gaze fixed on it. "I don't give a damn about that." She hoped her words didn't sound as false in Claudia's ears as they did in her own. Of course she wanted to open the box, but she wasn't about to walk into a trap; she wasn't that naive. "Let's move on to more important things," she said, adjusting her posture.

"Like why you're here," Rebekah said sternly. Her eyes shot daggers at Ester. "The real reason."

Belle could only imagine what it was like to have an enemy that you actually cared about. From what Belle had learned over her time with the Mikaelsons, Rebekah had been very close with her mother when she was growing up, even after she became a vampire - by her mother's doing of course. The betrayal must have been unbearable.

Ester sighed deeply. "Well, I suppose this is as good a time as any to extend my offer."

"Offer?" Skepticism was written all over Klaus' face. A crease formed between his eyebrows as he watched her every move.

"I meant what I said about wanting us to be a family again, but I can't bear what I did to you. To all of you." She spoke quietly. Her eyes flickered to each of her children's face, almost like she was too ashamed to look any of them straight in the eye, but didn't want them to think she lacked conviction.

Elijah moved forward in his chair, resting his chin on his steepled fingers. "To which affliction are you referring?"

Ester straightened and maintained her confidence. Whether or not it was a facade, Belle didn't know. "I am responsible for turning you into vampires, which isn't something on which I pride myself. I want to right this wrong so that we can be a family, as we once were."

"And how, pray tell, do you plan on 'righting' this wrong?" Klaus asked.

Belle cut in, "Is that why you hexed me? You want to turn your children human, so you tested it out on me?"

Ester scoffed. "Don't be silly, I can't cure vampirism. What's happening to you is only _temporary_. However, what I have in mind for my children is a bit more _permanent_."

The word "temporary" sent shivers up and down Belle's spine. If she was only in this condition temporarily, what would happen to the baby?

She opened her her mouth to interject, but Ester held up a hand, silencing her.

"To answer any questions you might have, I'm not sure how long the effects of the hex will last nor do I know any complications that may arise. Furthermore, what I intend to do for my children is similar to what I did to come back from the Other Side. I'll simply place you into a mortal body and destroy your immortal one."

Klaus scoffed. "_Simply_?" He shook his head. "If you think I'll let you do that to me you're even further out of your damned mind than I thought."

Ester's face contorted like someone had just punched her in the stomach. She reached out with one hand into the empty space before her and clenched her fist tightly, sending a wave of white hot pain through everyone's head, including Claudia - strangely. The room filled with strangled groans and cries of pain, both low and high pitched. "I'll leave you to reconsider. After all, the life of your unborn child depends on it. Without my help, I doubt it'll survive long enough to take its first breath."

Klaus rose to attack her, but Ester squeezed her hand tighter, sending out a stronger wave of pain and busting the lights above their heads and along the walls, leaving the room dark aside from the light that came from the candles on the table.

When the pain faded, everyone opened their eyes and looked around, allowing their eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. Bits of shattered glass lay scattered on the floor and table like snowflakes. Belle's eyes anxiously scanned the room. Ester was gone, but Claudia stayed put, groaning as the pain ebbed away.

Without hesitation, Max flashed behind Claudia and snapped her neck before she had the chance to even think about escaping.

In the midst of the chaos, Audrey's voice rang out. "Where's Sabrina?"

* * *

They tied up Claudia in the spare room Belle started to call the "red room of pain", though it wasn't actually red. It was where any and every interrogation/torture took place.

It was were she had killed Charlotte. The months since then felt like such a blur, like another lifetime.

It was late and Belle was tired and equally frustrated. The uncertain fate of her miracle child mixed with Sabrina and Ester's spontaneous disappearance were the main contributors to her anxiety. So many unanswered questions filtered in and out of her head that she could barely hear herself think.

Klaus was downstairs waiting for Claudia to wake up so he could begin the interrogation. Although she would've loved to watch and participate, the exhaustion was getting the better of her, so she headed upstairs to get ready for bed.

Before they had hauled Claudia off, Belle snatched the key from her and wound the dark leather cord around her middle finger, absentmindedly fiddling with it as she walked up the stairs.

As she passed Klaus' study she remembered the box; she'd left it sitting on his desk. She opened the door slowly, closing it behind her as she stepped farther into the room.

There it was, just as she'd left it.

She sat down in the cushioned chair behind the desk, crossing her legs as she took the box in her hands. She shifted the box to her left hand and held the key in her right.

What if the key didn't work? What if what was in the box was better off left inside?

Her impulsive side took over as she stuck the key in the lock and turned it. There was a small, barely audible click. So the box was protected by magic, but not sealed with it.

She raised the lid and looked inside. She could feel her heart pounding faster in her chest.

Inside, resting on a layer of deep red velvet, was something she thought she'd never see again. Something she'd buried with her daughter's body over nine hundred years before: a necklace.


	29. Chapter 29

**A.N. - SHOUT OUT TO FANFICCHIKK FOR LEAVING THE 100TH REVIEW!**

**Another week, another chapter. Please review and enjoy :)**

* * *

Song: Of Monsters And Men - _Organs_

Quickly, Belle snapped the box shut and reopened it just as quickly, hoping that what she saw was just in her imagination. It wasn't. The same leather cord. The same flat blue-gray stone. The cord was untied, curling in random directions on the bottom of the box.

She cautiously lifted it out of the box with nimble fingers, holding it up to the light. It was in fact the same necklace that had graced her daughter's neck, and her own before that, centuries before.

How did Claudia get ahold of it?

The only thing that came to Belle's mind was the possibility of Lilith being alive. Either that or Claudia had dug up her body and taken it for whatever reason, which was far beyond sickening, even for her.

She put the necklace back in the box and closed it. She wiped off the dust that had collected on its top and remembered the engraving on the lid.

Turning in it her hand and looking at it from every possible angle, she realized what was carved into the wood: the words "_sleep well, my little angel_".

Her eyes widened and her lips parted to release a scream, but no sound came out. These were the words Belle used to say to Lilith each night before they went to sleep. Belle would pull her close, kiss the top of her head, and whisper it in her ear. It was something she'd pictured her own mother doing to her, in a perfect world of course. In reality, sleep had been a way to escape her reality, something she still did to that day.

Slipping the box into her pocket, she walked quickly downstairs to the room where they were keeping Claudia. She hoped she was awake so she could get some answers - after beating her senseless.

When she walked in, it appeared that Claudia was just regaining consciousness. She blinked open her eyes, squinting a little and letting an involuntary groan pass through her parted lips.

"Oh good, you're awake." Klaus forced a smirk that looked more like a grimace and stood in front of Claudia, towering over her since she was tied to a chair, vervain soaked the ropes that bound her. Prominent red burns marked her wrists.

Belle approached them, standing by Klaus' side. She pulled the box from her pocket and shoved it in Claudia's face. "Care to give me an explanation before the torture begins?"

"You opened it," Claudia mused. Her tone was expectant. Her head remained hung, her eyes fixed on the floorboards.

She scoffed and opened the box. She clutched the necklace in her fist, putting the box back in her pocket. "Yes, and you have thirty seconds to explain where you found this before I beat the hell out of you." She shoved it in her face in an incriminating manner.

A crease formed between Klaus' eyebrows. "What is it?"

"A necklace I made when I was a child, the same one I gave to my daughter and the same one I buried her with." Belle inched closer. "Where. Did. You. Get. This?" She spat the words like venom, though they tasted like tears. Probably since she was choking them back, which didn't help with the stinging in her eyes.

She wouldn't let her see her cry. "_Crying is for the weak_," Claudia would say.

Claudia's eyes met hers. "Aren't you curious about your sister, Sabrina? And why she disappeared? Strange, isn't it?" Her voice held the same monotonous tone it had all night.

"Just answer the bloody question woman," Klaus snapped. Belle realized her was holding a small blade in his hand. Whether or not it had been there before she walked in she didn't know.

Claudia held her tongue, giving them both a lifeless stare, like someone had numbed her emotions.

Impatience overwhelmed her. Belle snatched the knife swiftly from Klaus' hand and held it to her throat, using her free hand to pin her head to the back of the chair while keeping the blade and necklace grasped in the other. The necklace was wrapped around her palm, dangling above the place where Claudia's heart - black or just stone cold - was.

"ANSWER ME OR I WILL SLIT YOUR FUCKING THROAT!"

Her expression remained blank. Not a hint of fear in her eyes - from the look Belle saw in them, Claudia was focused on something else entirely. Like there was a riddle in her head she couldn't solve.

Belle pressed the blade closer to her neck, creating a small cut, pressuring her.

Just as a drop of blood slipped down her neck, Belle felt a small prick on her neck and felt something warm running down it. She relinquished her grip on Claudia and felt her own throat, discovering a tiny cut, identical to the one which she had made on her mother. A single drop of crimson blood clung to her finger before slipping off and falling, creating a trail of brilliant red in its path.

"What did you do?" Her voice was low, but got considerably louder when she spoke again. "What did you do?!"

"I've done nothing. Blame the traitorous witch."

"What did Ester do?" Klaus demanded furiously.

"She linked us, apparently. Sabrina's doing, no doubt."

Belle narrowed her eyes. "Sabrina's? Why would you say that?"

Claudia's eyes met Belle's for a moment before they wandered off to stare at the wall. "She's conspiring with Ester. She hates me. She hates you too, you know?"

Belle flinched. "You're lying, avoiding my first question. Where did you find the necklace?" She wouldn't be manipulated or tricked. Claudia was, after all, a master of traitory.

"With her."

"With whom?"

"Your bastard of course." For the first time that night, there was a hint of life in Claudia's voice - anger and disdain.

Belle slapped her, not caring that both of them would feel it. "If we weren't linked, I'd do worse than that to you."

"What does it matter? She's dead." Claudia's voice maintained its edge. And it was effective, cutting Belle like a blade.

Her first instinct was to hit her again - harder this time, but then it hit her. That miniscule spark of hope that her daughter may still be alive was crushed. Destroyed. Gone.

She believed her. She believed that she would never see Lilith again. She didn't know how exactly - mother's instinct perhaps - but she knew now that Lilith was gone.

It hurt just as badly then as it had when she put her body in the ground. With shaking hands, she lowered the blade and dropped both it and the necklace to the floor. Her lips were parted slightly, letting out quiet sobs that would soon turn into screams. Tears slipped from her eyes as she lost control of herself. She ran out of the room, not feeling the floor beneath her feet or the breeze on her face.

She started running faster once she got outside, not even remembering how she got there. She kept going, running through the dark streets of New Orleans until her limbs were filled with a dull ache and her breathing became labored.

Klaus was right behind her, as expected. He didn't say anything, just held her close as she sobbed uncontrollably into his chest, muttering apologies - she wasn't quite sure whether they were to him or Lilith. Did it really matter?

* * *

The next day came and they still knew nothing of Ester and Sabrina's whereabouts. Claudia had been moved to a spare room, which Davina had cast a spell to trap her in. Klaus wasn't taking any chances.  
As the sun set that evening Belle sat alone on the roof, lost in thought. For the first time all day she was thinking clearly - rationally.

There were so many uncertainties: Sabrina, Claudia, the baby, Belle's condition, Hope's safety.

Current events had failed to eclipse the importance of Hope's well-being. No baby should have to spend their first few - and most vital - months of life in a warzone with danger lurking in ever direction.

Suddenly, an idea hit her like a train. She knew what needed to be done, how they could fix many of the problems at hand.

She rushed inside and found Hayley in Hope's room, putting her down for a nap.

"Hayley?" She turned to face Belle.

"Yeah?"

"I have an idea."

* * *

"No, absolutely not!" Klaus wasn't very enthused with the plan, to say the least. "You are not leaving with my daughter!" He stuck a finger in Belle's direction.

"Um, your daughter? She's ours, you know. I get a say too." Hayley sat next to Belle on a couch, arms crossed stubbornly over her chest.

He glared at her. "There is only one person I trust with her and that would be me!" He paced the floor in front of them.

Belle rolled her eyes. "You don't trust anyone with anything," she muttered. "If I took Hope out of the city, it would not only protect her, but also our unborn baby, unless of course you've forgotten about that. We'll go somewhere no one outside of this house knows about, out of the way so you can get things sorted out here. We'll be fine."

"You don't know that! You can't protect yourself."

Her eyes narrowed. "I _can_ protect myself, first of all. Secondly, we wouldn't go alone. Hayley needs to stay here because she's an asset, being a hybrid and all, right? So Rebekah could go with us."

Rebekah walked in, hands on her hips and a skeptical look on her face. "Rebekah can go where, now?"

"Belle has the idea that she and you can go gallivanting out of town with my daughter until we catch our psychotic mother and her deranged sister," Klaus said.

Belle rolled her eyes. "I'm offering up a valid solution to some of our problems, actually."

Rebekah nodded. "I'm in."

Elijah trailed behind her. "I agree with her, brother. Who can protect Hope better than we?" He clasped a hand on Belle's shoulder for a moment or two, something that he had never done before. It was strange, Elijah considering her to be a part of the family. It was nice.

"Then it's settled." Belle smirked. "You're outnumbered."

Klaus frowned, eyeing each of them. "Fine." He stormed out.

She could hear the uncertainty in his voice, see the fear in his eyes. She knew it pained him not to have control of the situation, but she was trying to make the best of the situation. She wouldn't let another child die.

That night, they packed their bags and loaded everything into Max's silver SUV. It was decided that he would accompany them - partially because Belle physically cringed at the thought of spending potentially months alone with her biggest frenemy.

Klaus, of course, was still sulking.

He stood in their room, looking out the window with a glass of Bourbon in his hand. He took a sip from it. "When are you leaving?"

Belle, lingering in the doorway, stepped into the room, walking up behind him. "In a few hours. We're waiting until the streets aren't so full so we won't draw too much attention."

He nodded and took another drink.

"Are you mad at me?"

He didn't answer.

"Nik," she pleaded softly. "I can't leave if you're still mad at me. I won't. Please." Her voice was just above a whisper. "Just say something."

He sighed and put his drink down on the window sill. "No."

He turned to face her, his eyes locking with hers. He reached out and cupped her cheek with his hand, running his thumb along her jawline and then her bottom lip. He pulled her roughly - but not too roughly - to him and kissed her hard, desperately. Like his life depended on it. Like it was the last time he'd ever see her.

The streets were almost bare, aside from the occasionally car or tipsy tourist. After heartfelt goodbyes, they drove off into the inky night - Max driving, Rebekah riding shotgun and Belle and Hope in the back.

Hope's tiny hand reached out for Belle's and she wrapped her tiny fist around her thumb like she was trying to console her. Belle clutched her doll-like hand gently and resisted the urge to cry as their home got farther and farther away, becoming nothing more than a small collection of lights in the rearview mirror.


	30. Chapter 30

**A.N. - I just got back from vacation and I'm ready to get back into this!**

**30 chapters :o wow! I'm surprised by how much I've written. There's much more to come. Thanks for everything so far. Please review and enjoy :)**

* * *

After over seven tedious hours in the car, they arrived at one of the Mikaelson's many houses - this one being located in the heart of Arkansas - just as the sunlight started peaking through the trees.

It was white with medium brown shutters, two stories and a large front porch with a rocking chair on each side of the front door. The yard was smaller than Belle had expected and virtually desolate, aside from some shrubbery. The entire house seemed to be enclosed by thickets of trees and bushes, like a fence created by nature.

It was perfect. Beautiful. Secluded. And, most importantly, safe.

Max parked the car a few yards from the house in the dirt driveway and turned off the car, lingering.

Belle raised an eyebrow. "Everything okay, Maxy?"

He smirked at the sound of her nickname for him. "Yeah," he said dismissively.

She frowned, knowing he was lying. But she didn't press him further.

Belle unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned over to unfasten Hope from her car seat. Clutching the baby to her chest with one hand, Belle grabbed a couple smaller bags with her free hand and headed inside. She could hear Rebekah and Max speaking in hushed voices as they unloaded the bags from the trunk, but she couldn't make out any specific words.

She climbed the steps to the porch and fished out the key from her pocket. It unlocked with a distinct click. She turned the knob pushed it open.

Hope's eyes wandered back and forth curiously as she took in the new surroundings.

Belle smiled. "Do you like it, baby girl?"

Hope let out a tiny, bubbly giggle before settling down again, closing her eyes. It had been a long night for the both of them.

Belle stepped through the threshold, eyeing the room as she set the bags by the door. The house appeared to be fully furnished, but fairly dusty. Good, now she'd have something to do. Anything to distract her from what was going on back home was welcome.

Max and Rebekah brought the rest of their things in. Within an hour Belle had her temporary room - the master bedroom of course - set up the way she liked it. All of her clothes were put away and she was sitting on the bed, clutching a pillow to her chest.

Before they had left, Belle had secretly taken one of the pillows from Klaus' side of the bed to keep with her. She knew she'd struggle to sleep without him next to her, so she'd hoped it would help. It'd have to do for the next few...weeks? Months? She wasn't sure.

Rebekah walked in, a sleeping Hope in her arms. She eyed Belle warily, but didn't ask why she was sniffing a pillow. Belle figured she knew anyway.

"I just got her to sleep." Rebekah took a few steps closer, careful not to jostle the sleeping baby.

Belle's lips curled into a slight smile. "Good. She's a little angel, isn't she?"

"She really is." Rebekah kept her eyes on Hope as she sat down at the foot of the bed. "She's absolutely beautiful."

After a few moments of silence passed between them, Rebekah's eyes moved to Belle's. "Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, girls are sweet and easier to handle - not so temperamental - but the idea of a tiny Klaus is just..." She smiled widely, looking off into the distance at nothing in particular.

"Two Klauses," Rebekah mused. She shook her head. "I think we're fine with the one. He's a handful."

Belle laughed out loud at that. "He is, but I don't mind it."

Rebekah smiled, a rare sight for Belle's eyes, before regaining her composure. "You're good for him. Maybe you're the key."

"The key to what?"

"His redemption." Rebekah paused, adjusting Hope in her arms before continuing. "Elijah believes it's Hope and you're unborn child who will pave the road to his redemption, but I'm not so sure I believe that. When he's with you he's not overly paranoid or temperamental. It's like you balance him out, which is ironic since you two are practically the same person most days. You're good for him. I just thought you should keep that in mind."

A crease formed between Belle's brows. What was Rebekah implying? Did she think that Belle would leave him?

She shook her head, realizing that she was over thinking it. "I know what you mean." Belle smiled a little, though it was mostly forced. "I should get some sleep. Hope has the right idea." She chuckled and put the pillow down behind her.

Rebekah nodded. "Sure. I'll let you sleep. Let me or Max know if you need anything." She stood and headed for the door, pulling Hope closer to her chest. "I'll put her down so she can finish her nap." As Rebekah exited, she closed the door behind her.

Overcome with exhaustion - both physical and mental - Belle curled up under the sheets with Klaus' pillow under her head, wishing with everything she had that it was his chest and not the pillow.

_It was autumn. The leaves around them were vibrant shades of orange and yellow. They were at the house in Arkansas._

_There was a slight chill in the air. Belle pulled her sweater closer, struggling to pull it over her large, pregnant belly. She anxiously chewed her lip as she watched Klaus' boots as he paced the ground in front of her. He ran his hand over his hair in frustration. She could feel it radiating off him._

_"How could you let this happen? You were supposed to protect her!" His voice was as angry, sharp like a knife._

_She flinched as his words cut her. "I'm sorry," she said in a small voice. She averted his eyes. "I didn't mean for it to happen." Her voice was pleading, screaming at him to listen._

_He wasn't having it. He stopped pacing and came to stand in front of her, standing dangerously close. "I knew I shouldn't have trusted you with my daughter."_

_Tears clouded her eyes. "I'm sorry."_

_He scoffed. She could feel his breath on her cheek. His scent filled her nostrils as he stepped closer, leaving very little space between them._

_She felt small. Microscopic, almost._

_" 'Sorry' won't fix the problem, will it?" He spat._

_Each word was like a knife twisting in her stomach, tearing her down slowly, painfully._

_"Stupid childish girl. I'm not sure I can even trust you with our child." His hand rested on her stomach. His touch was firm and rough. It sent nervous chills up her spine._

_She wanted to push him away, but she couldn't. She was paralyzed before him, eyes locked on his. Her lips were parted, but no words passed from them. She couldn't speak. She couldn't scream._

_The smirk she once loved came across his face. It sent a shock of terror through her whole body, making her hands start to shake. She was sure her entire body was trembling._

_"I can see why your mother hated you, love. You destroy everything you touch." He took a step back. In one fluid motion, he had her by the throat. Her feet dangled inches above the ground. Her hands pulled at his grip, but it didn't loosen. "No matter. I'll make sure you never lay a hand on my son."_

_She coughed and choked out, "no, please." Her eyes filled with tears that spilled down her cheeks. "Don't." Her voice was strained as his grip tightened._

_Without warning, he plunged his fist into her chest, holding onto her heart with an iron grip. "At least now you'll be reunited with your daughter."_

_The pain resonating from her chest was suddenly gone. She was numb as she fell to the earth below, watching Klaus hold her heart in his hand._

Belle shot straight out of bed, drenched in sweat. Her breathing was far too fast, like she had just been for a run. Her heart raced, pattering like a machine gun. It was just a dream. A nightmare.

She took a series of deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. Breathe.

According to the clock on her bedside table it was 3:47 in the afternoon. She ran a hand through her sweaty curls and fell back on the mattress.

Klaus' pillow - his scent - must have had something to do with her terrifying dream. Though she felt lonely without it, she took his pillow and threw it into the floor.

She rolled over, facing the empty side of the bed. She closed her eyes and hoped to rid herself of the image of Klaus with her bloody heart in his hand that was burned into her head.


	31. Chapter 31

**A.N. - There is a time jump in this chapter and there will be lots of others in future ones. I'm trying to put several months into a handful of chapters so we can move the baby plot along.**

** Any suggestions, comments (no flames), questions, etc are welcom****e :) I'm always curious about what you guys have to say. Anyway, please review and enjoy.**

* * *

Song: Christina Perri - _Human_

"I don't know what else to tell you Josh. Things are pretty quiet here."

Belle was eavesdropping on Max's phone conversation, knowing shed be the topic of their conversation. She usually was when she "overheard" Max and Josh's long talks on the phone. She wondered if Josh was so curious and inquisitive because Klaus asked him to be. It seemed like something he would do.

"Yeah, she's good. She's been keeping herself pretty occupied. I swear, she's the only person I know who can renovate a house in two months while being pregnant."

Belle smirked and put down her paint roller. She poked her head into the next room, which was only a few feet away.

"Not to mention while I'm babysitting your childish ass. Hope's more mature than you, and she can't even walk yet. And, by the way, it's more redecorating than renovating."

Max rolled his eyes as he turned to face his condescending sister. "Thanks for eavesdropping. Not like this is a private conversation or anything."

She wiped her paint splattered hands off on her worn denim overalls as she walked over to him. "Aren't you only supposed to call each other when it's absolutely necessary?" Belle inquired, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What, so I'm not allowed to give my boyfriend a rundown of current events?"

"No."

"Oh come on. I'm sure you and Klaus call each other like ten times a day." Max laughed and returned to his phone conversation, turning away from Belle and heading upstairs to his room.

She stood alone, a deep frown carved into her delicate features. She pressed a hand to her slightly enlarged stomach, caressing it with a feather-light touch.

As it turned out, she and Klaus hadn't spoken since she had left New Orleans over two months ago. He had checked in with Rebekah a time or two - so she had heard, but it was always while she was asleep. She feared that he was still angry at her for leaving. For taking both of his children away, out of his control.

She'd tired to call him - once, but he didn't answer. She wasn't going to grovel or mope around like she was at fault. She was doing the right thing for Hope and their baby.

She shook her head and returned to the sitting room where she was painting the once off white walls blue. Like Klaus' eyes. That way when she found herself wanting to look into them, she could look at the walls and think of him. It wasn't the same, but it would suffice.

As she ran the roller up and down the wall in gentle strokes, the blue color made her train of thought trail off to wondering what the baby's gender was, if she'd really be getting the little boy she longed for. Of course she'd love it all the same if it were a girl, but she feared that a girl would bear too close a resemblance to Lilith. It would be like the universe was trying to replace her beautiful - and irreplaceable - daughter.

Rebekah walked in a few seconds later with Hope cradled in her arms.

Since they had been there Rebekah was eager to be a devoted aunt to Hope. Belle knew how much Rebekah had always wanted to have children of her own, and how much it hurt to know that that would never happen.

Belle was, in many ways, grateful for what Ester and Claudia had done to her. It gave her a second chance at motherhood.

On the other hand, she hated being weaker, slower, fragile. That's one of the many things vampirism had freed her from. The shackles of vulnerability and weakness had broken centuries ago only to be forced back onto her now. She felt cheated.

So, she focused on the positive: the baby.

"I see you're still busy as a bee. You should take a break." Rebekah's broke through the fog that clouded Belle's thoughts, pulling her back to reality abruptly.

Belle shook her head and picked up a paintbrush to start on the corners of the walls. Images of Klaus painting flashes across her mind. She knew he was more than likely painting right then. It was a form of therapy for him. A metaphor for control.

"I'm fine."

She didn't have to look at Rebekah to know that she was scowling.

"I'm not just concerned about your well-being. You've been up and moving since sunrise. You and the baby need to rest." Rebekah came to stand by her side. She adjusted Hope so she could use her free hand to take the paintbrush away from Belle's firm grasp.

Belle frowned and turned to glare at her before handing over the brush. "Fine. You're probably right anyway." Her voice held a hint of gratitude. She wasn't used to Rebekah being so kind to her. It was a little unsettling. She had half a mind to toss a negative comment about Rebekah's outfit at her or insult her in some other way just to see what would happen.

"Here, put her down for a nap. And may I suggest taking one yourself," Rebekah said, carefully moving Hope into Belle's awaiting arms.

Hope squirmed for a few seconds, but quickly settled and closed her eyes. Belle noticed that she had her mother's long and full lashes. There were just about as many traces of Hayley in her features as were of Klaus. She smiled and brushed a lock of perfectly straight blonde hair out of Hope's face. She wondered if her hair would eventual start to curl like Klaus'.

The thoughts of Klaus made her heart hurt and her eyes water. She blinked away the oncoming tears before Rebekah noticed and headed upstairs.

* * *

Klaus sat in a chair in front of the door to Claudia's room, an open copy of _The Art Of War_ resting on his lap. He had lost count if the number if times he'd read it over the course of his life.

His eyes trailed up from the pages, watching as Claudia paced her room like a dog locked in a pin. She was past the point of stir-crazed.

"You can leave once you've given me a reason to trust you, and right now I'm far from it." He closed the book and put it down on the table beside him. He crossed it legs and folded his hands together, glaring at her through squinted eyes.

"I've told you everything I know," she insisted.

"And I've told you that I don't believe you. You're holding back, hiding something. As soon as you tell me what it is, Davina will undo the spell and you can go free. Simple."

She rolled her eyes. "If I had anything else to say I would've already said it."

Though he'd never say it to Belle, she and her mother bore quite a few unexpected similarities on the surface. But, at their cores, they were polar opposites.

She ran a hand through her curls. They were shorter and tighter than Belle's, with hunts of gray mingling with the ebony. "I've been trapped in this damned room for months. I need to," her words came to an abrupt halt.

Klaus stood wearily from his chair and approached the doorway, though he could cross the threshold.

A deep groan slipped past her lips before she fell to her knees. Her face was pinched in pain. "Something's happening. S - something's wrong," she stammered. She coughed loudly before blood spattered from her lips onto the floor.

Klaus knew she wasn't pretending. Something was wrong. And whatever was happening to Claudia was without a doubt happening to Belle at that very moment; they were still linked.

* * *

A high-pitched wail echoed throughout the house from Belle's room, resounding from the walls.

The noise awoke Hope and she started crying. Though Belle's cries nearly drowned hers out.

Rebekah rushed into her room with a screaming Hope in her arms and Max on her heels. They both looked utterly panicked.

"What's wrong?" Max was by her side in an instant, sitting on the edge of the bed and holding her.

She was curled up in a ball, facedown, clutching her stomach. "It hurts," she whimpered.

She tasted blood. It was in her mouth and on the bed sheets, coming out with each cough and deep exhale as she gasped for breath.

"What does?"

"Everything!" The pain radiated from her stomach to every limb. Every fiber in her body felt like it was in fire. "Something's wrong with the baby! Something doesn't feel right," she cried.

Max turned to Rebekah. "Get Hope out of here. I've got her." Rebekah started to protest, but her cut her off. "Go!"

She turned and rushed Hope downstairs, away from Belle's agonizing cries.

"Help me," she pleaded, looking up into her brother's eyes.

The fear she felt in that moment was stronger than the pain, and it was much, much worse.


	32. Chapter 32

**A.N. - This story is finally on the 1st page of The Originals' fanfiction (sorting by follows) :D Thank you guys so much. Please review and enjoy :)**

* * *

Belle clenched her jaw tightly as she tried to hold in her screams. If she opened her lips, even the slightest, the screaming would start again.

Max was on the phone with Klaus, who was at that very moment having Davina unlink Belle and Claudia. Klaus was afraid of unlinking them, unsure where Claudia's alliances lied. But if it was something that was inflicted upon Claudia - a hex, Klaus suspected, at least Belle and the baby would be out if the woods. For the time being anyway.

For the past half hour Belle had overheard bits and pieces of their conversation once she had managed to stop screaming. She could barely focus on anything but the fiery pain that ripped through her body, resonating from her core.

"It's done. Did it work?" Klaus' muffled voice rang out from Max's phone.

Max clutched his phone to his ear with one hand and rested the other on the side of the bed as he knelt down in front of her. "You and Claudia are unlinked now. Is it, is it gone? Is the pain gone?"

His words took a few seconds to register in her mind. Was it gone? She tried to sit up, putting her hands on the mattress and pushing up.

Hell no, it wasn't! A short but deafening scream tore free from her parted lips. "No," she screamed. She clenched her jaw once again.

Max's brows knit together. "There must be something wrong with her," he was talking to Klaus now. "Or something wrong with the baby. I don't know."

"There's a witch," Belle said, her voice a strangled whisper. "He lives...a few miles from here. Maybe...half an hour. He can help."

"What's his name?" Klaus asked from the other line. She could barely hear his voice because of the ringing in her ears.

"David, David Luther...my phone...his number. Please." She halfway gasping for breath and halfway whimpering. Tears fell from down her cheeks onto the bed. "Hurts," she sobbed.

"Call him," Klaus said. "If he can't help, I'm coming there myself."

She wished he would. She really did.

Just under an hour later David showed up. He walked into Belle's room, all tanned skin, a thick southern accent, and a big toothy grin. He looked older than the last time she had seen him, a little rougher around the edges. But, aged or not, he was still one of the most skilled witches - warlocks as he and most "man-witches" preferred - she had ever come across. Furthermore, he was one of the few she fully trusted. Hence why she was willing to entrust her wellbeing and that of her unborn baby to him.

"Hey Belle." He grinned, sitting down in the chair by her bed.

The pain had subsided a little, now just bearable. At least she'd managed to talk without screaming.

"Max told me about your little miracle baby with the hybrid. Congrats on finally tying him down, by the way. I remember how hung up on him you always were." He chuckled under his breath.

She grinned, though it was mostly forced. "Yeah, thanks."

Max stood in the doorway with his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed. He rarely trusted a witch. Then again, much like Klaus, he rarely trusted anyone.

"So, correct me if I'm wrong. You've been cursed by the Original witch to be in a state where you're virtually human, you got pregnant, and now things are going downhill."

She nodded.

"Any idea why?"

"I don't know what she meant by this, but she said something about how it was all 'temporary'. My best guess is that sooner or later - hopefully later - I'll be a fully fledged vampire again. If that happens," she paused, taking her thumbnail between her teeth as she chewed it anxiously. "If that happens, I'll lose the baby. Is there anything you can do to help prolong the hex? At least some sort of protection spell for the baby?"

He held her gaze as he seemed to be weighing his options. "Well, I don't know anything about the hex that was placed on you. That kinda magic is far out of my expertise."

A crease formed between her brows and her lips turned downward into a slight frown. 'Here comes the but.'

"But," he said after a short pause. "I have some herbs that I think might help. At least with the pain. I'm so sorry, Belle. The only person to my knowledge that can help you now is the Original witch."

"Ester, right?" Max added.

Belle rolled her eyes. "Yes," she groaned. She held her tongue so as not to continue and call him a "_dumb-ass_" like she wanted.

Leaning down, David fished around his bag for a few seconds before pulling out a jar full of herbs. "Brew a few of these leaves into some tea and it'll help with the pain. Stronger than any pain pill on the market."

She nodded and smiled weakly. "Thanks." She propped herself up on one elbow, wincing a little and took the jar.

"Hey, I'll bet you haven't seen an OBGYN or whatever kinda doctor you pregnant gals are supposed to see."

She laughed a little, even though it sent a pain up and down her torso. "No, I actually haven't. I've been rather preoccupied with trying not to get killed by my boyfriend's psychotic mother."

"Well, my niece is one. Maybe I can come back with her and she can bring some stuff by to give you a checkup, just to make sure nothing's wrong with the kid. Besides, I'm sure you're dying to know what it is."

She raised an eyebrow. "What it is?"

"A boy or a girl, I mean."

She nodded. "Sure, I guess. Can you make it here soon? Maybe in a few days?"

"Sure, whatever you want."

After about an hour of catching up and two cups of David's witchy tea later, Max suggested it was about time for him to go.

Reluctantly, David bid them all a good evening, got in his old pickup truck and left.

Max of course had practically kicked him out of the house like a stray dog.

Belle was on his heels, following him to the kitchen where she suspected he was on the hunt for a good bottle of Scotch. "What the hell was that?"

"What the hell was what?"

She sat her empty teacup down in the sink and leaned against the counter. "You know what. Why were you being do rude to him?"

In a top cabinet, Max seemed to find what he was looking for: a bottle of 1955 Scotch and a short crystal glass.

"I wasn't being rude. I'm just not sure if I trust him."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh please, when was the last time you ever trusted a witch?"

"Never," he shot back. "And there's a good reason for that. Witches are all out for themselves."

Her laugh echoed throughout the room. "Oh really? And what about us vampires? Guess what Max, everyone favors their own species, but that doesn't mean we can't help out another or at least be civil with them."

He scoffed before downing his first glass with ease. "Says the girl who's screwed more werewolves than vampires. A little too civil, I'd say."

She rolled her eyes and punched him in the arm, causing him to spill a bit of his drink down his t-shirt. "NOT the point. David's an old friend and a talented warlock. I trust him, whether you do or not."

* * *

Back at the Compound things were heating up. Klaus was one smart-ass, nonchalant response away from torturing Claudia. He was trying, mostly failing, to exercise restraint.

"There's something you're not telling me. I suggest you do so before I resort to other, more painful, means of getting it out of you."

She rolled her eyes. "Because sweet-talking me isn't 'painful' enough?"

His eyes narrowed and, without warning, took the blade he had set aside and held it to her throat, pressing it against her close enough to make a small cut. He wasn't afraid to push it farther now that she was unlinked to Belle.

Hell, if Belle were there she'd want a front row seat and popcorn to watch it.

"Fine. She may kill me for saying this, but then again she'll probably just kill me anyway."

"Who will?"

"Sabrina."

"Why?"

"Because she doesn't want anyone to know that she," she hesitated, and for a moment Klaus could've sworn he saw fear flash across her eyes. "She killed Belle's daughter. When we were turned, so was the girl."

Claudia proceeded to tell the heart-wrenching tale of how Lilith had dug herself out of the shallow grave her mother had buried her in.

How she found the family she'd only heard stories about.

How she'd spent days and nights crying for her mother.

And finally, how Sabrina had torn her heart from her chest.

"Revenge, she'd called it," Claudia's voice broke, like she was trying not to cry.

Klaus had never seen her express any sort of emotion like this. This made him especially skeptical.

Instead of taking the blade away from her neck and pressing her further on the subject - which he believed to be nothing more than a fairytale - he pressed the knife down harder, deepening the cut. Blood spilled down her neck, staining his hands crimson.

"Do you really expect me to believe you? Let me tell you something sweetheart, it takes far more than a sad story to redeem a liar's reliably."

He pulled the blade away and headed out of the room, turning his back to her. "Let me know when you're willing to tell the truth."

He turned off the lights as he left, leaving her cloaked in darkness with only the street lights to illuminate the room. But the only things they illuminated were the tears that stained her cheeks.

* * *

"Everything looks good," Amber, David's niece, praised as she moved the transducer probe** [thanks Google]** over Belle's belly.

Everyone's eyes were locked on the monitor, watching the first images of miracle baby number two appear on the screen.

Rebekah held Hope in her arms as she giggled, excited by the new people around her.

"Can you tell what it is yet?" Belle asked. Her eyes stayed locked on the blurry black and white images.

"Well Ms. Campbell, it looks like you have a beautiful, healthy baby boy."

Tears welled up in her eyes. It was a little Klaus. Her little Klaus, growing inside of her at that very moment. "A boy?" Tears of joy slipped down her cheeks. "And he's okay?"

Amber nodded. "Not a thing wrong that I can see. Congratulations."

"What'd I tell you? I told you everything would be fine," David chided.

Belle rolled her eyes, still smiling and crying all at the same time. "Yeah, you did. Thank you guys so much. Really, if there's anything you ever need just let me know."

Disrupting the happy scene, Hope started whining which very quickly turned into crying.

"I think someone needs a diaper change." Rebekah turned to Max. "You're up, Maxy." She smirked.

Max groaned and rolled his eyes. "Great. Come on, baby girl." He lifted Hope from Rebekah's arms and headed upstairs to clean her up. Max had never shown much of an interest in children, but over the past few months he'd really stepped up in taking care of Hope. What's more, Hope adored him. Maybe his short, curly hair reminded her of Klaus.

Amber pressed a few buttons and printed out a picture of Little Klaus. "Here you go." She handed the picture to Belle. "So his daddy can see how beautiful he is."

Belle smiled, thanked her, and put the picture in her back pocket. She sat up and pulled her shirt back down over her belly. "So, is that all?"

Amber and David exchanged a look. She couldn't figure out what it was, but something was off about it. It was like they were waiting for something.

"Not quite," David said.

Suddenly, the door slammed shut, closing them in the room. Rebekah moved to open it, but David held up his hand, sending a wave of pain over both of them. Amber motioned at Rebekah, snapping her neck without even touching her.

Belle was paralyzed, literally. She couldn't feel anything besides her heart hammering in her chest. She looked down, only able to move her eyes. Amber had stuck her in the arm with a long needle. It was filled with a clear fluid.

David came to stand in front of her. "I'm so sorry Belle, but he told us to. I'm sorry."

A darkness washed over her later and she fell back on the table, unconscious and terrified.


	33. Chapter 33

**A.N. - So, apparently as of this past July 11th I've been here on FanFiction for 4 years! Wow. I remember when I used to write random (and pretty bad) one shots when I first discovered this wonderful and addictive website back when I was 13. I'd like to think my writing has gotten a lot better since :)**

**Anyway, let's get on with this chapter. Please review and enjoy**.

* * *

_The sound of birds rustling in the trees above awoke her with a start. They called frantically to one another, like something awful was about to happen. The feeling of impending dread set in._

_Where was Lilith?_

_She had to find her. She had to know if the mad, red-headed woman had gotten to her._

_The woods - she was probably hiding in the woods. Maybe in her favorite climbing tree._

_Belle sprinted off into the woods, frantically searching for her child._

_Before she knew it, she was back home. Not the one she shared with her daughter, but her old home. The place she was born. The place that held terrible childhood memories._

_It couldn't have been more than a mile away from the small village in which she and Lilith lived._

_She hadn't been back since she had ran from it eight years before._

_She stood face-to-face, so to speak, with the cabin she was raised in. Where the people she once called family lived. Nothing had really changed from the outside, but she knew that the same couldn't be said for the people inside. Her brothers and sisters were no longer children, but young men and women._

_"Belinda?" A voice came from behind her - a woman's voice. She didn't recognize it._

_She turned quickly to face the stranger and was met with familiar eyes - Sabrina's._

_"Sister, you, you have to help me," she breathed heavily, frantic. Her hands shook from the adrenaline the coursed through her veins. "I need to, I need to find my daughter. I was attacked..."_

_Her words trailed off as she became entranced by something. A hammering noise. For a moment she though it was footsteps, but she realized it was a heartbeat. Not her own, but Sabrina's._

_How could she hear it? More importantly, why was it so...alluring?_

_She watched carefully, focused solely on the sight of Sabrina's jugular vein pulsing. Every other thought left her head, abandoning the task at hand without her even realizing it._

_"Belinda?" Sabrina said, reaching out to grab her shoulder. "Sister?"_

_A new, primal instinct took over her body. It was both strange and terrifying. She grabbed Sabrina's arm, watching the blood pulse though the veins in her slender wrist. Her teeth ached badly; a throbbing pain shot through her jaws. It was relentless and intensified by the millisecond._

_She felt like she was no longer in control of her body, floating above herself as the monster within took over. She swallowed hard and yanked Sabrina closer and pushed her hair aside, exposing the pale skin on her neck._

_"What are you doing?" Sabrina asked frantically, struggling to break away._

_The monster inside Belle enjoyed the struggle, tightening her grasp on Sabrina._

_She inched closer to her neck, inhaling its scent before the monster quickly decided that she was tired of waiting. Belle sunk her teeth into her once beloved sister's throat, relishing the screams that faded to whimper before they went away all together._

_Her first taste of bloodlust._

She groaned and blinked open her eyes for a second, closing them again as a light burned her retinas.

Belle tried opening them again. This time the light was gone. Someone had pulled the curtains shut.

A man.

He wore a black long sleeved shirt with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows, worn jeans, and boots. His hair was dirty blonde and thinning a little on the top and in the back.

He turned to face her, his dark eyes piercing hers like blades. They were blue. "You're awake," he said. His voice was gruff and harsh like he was angry or tired, or some combination of the two. His face was pinched in frustration, showing deep lines around his eyes and mouth. He looked like he was about fifty, maybe a few years older.

"Who are you? Where," she groaned as a wave of pain washed over her. Her entire body ached, though it was mostly her head. Being knocked out wasn't by any means pleasant. "Where am I?"

She was sitting on the floor, too tried to stand up. Thick metal cuffs were locked around each wrist and the cuffs were attached to chains that were bolted into the stone wall behind her. She couldn't break them.

"So many questions," he scoffed. The man stepped closer to her, kneeling down on one knee in front of her so he could look her in the eyes directly with his icy gaze. "Well, my dear, I am Mikael. The Destroyer. The Vampire Who Hunts Vampires."

Those words made her blood run cold. So this was Mikael, the Mikaelson's domineering, tyrant of a father. The man who had ruined Klaus' life. The man who had hunted him for centuries.

She forced her back flush against the wall, trying to put as much space between them as possible.

Mikael was dead. Klaus had killed him over a year ago.

"How are you alive?"

He stood and took a few steps back, keeping his eyes locked with hers. He had the "_evil villian_" act down to a tee. A half-smirk played at the corner of his lips. "It's quite a long story, which I have no intention of ever telling it to you."

"Then can you at least tell me where I am? And why I'm here?" She used annoyance to mask her fear, but she could tell he saw right through it. He was intimidating and he knew it well.

"It doesn't matter where you are, only that you are here. And you are here for the sole purpose of serving as leverage against the bastard who calls himself my son. Not to mention that the monstrosity growing in you womb will add extra incentive."

If her hands hadn't been bound she would've slapped him for that. "Say whatever the hell you want to about me, but don't you ever insult my son," she growled, forgetting her fear for a few moments of strength.

Mikael chuckled, unamused. "So it's a boy? A bastard son for the bastard son. No matter. Soon, once Niklaus shows his face, you'll all be dead. I plan to kill you slowly, right in front of his eyes before I release him from his immortal coil."

"You'll have one hell of a time trying. Klaus killed you once, and I don't doubt that he can do it again," she spat venomously.

He ignored her and turned to call to someone in the other room. "Witch," he beckoned.

Like a trained puppy, David entered the room just seconds later. "Yes, sir?"

"Put her under. Just because she's here doesn't mean I have to listen to every vexatious word that comes from her mouth." He pointed finger in her direction, his daylight ring glinting in the glow of the lamps. "And when you're done send the abomination a message that we have his bitch and her unborn mutt."

David nodded solemnly. "Of course." He Approached her warily, avoiding her glaring eyes, and began to chant.

A darkness overtook her seconds later. It wasn't gradual like the other times she had been attacked by magic. It was sudden and strong, like a wave of blackened water pushing her under, drowning her, but it only took an instant. Before the blackness overtook her and she was unconscious.

* * *

Klaus sat at his desk, head down, resting on his folded hands. "How could you let this happen?"

"It wasn't our fault," Rebekah insisted. She sat in one of the chairs on the opposite side if the room beside an unusually twitchy Max.

"Really, it wasn't. I mean, I wasn't even in the room when it happened." Max kept his eyes on the floor as he spoke. He couldn't even count the number of tines Belle had been there for him, and tet he couldn't even protect her once. "I knew there was something off about that guy." He recited this mantra once again as he had done at least twenty times since she was taken.

Klaus rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you did Maxwell, but apparently that didn't stop you from letting him abduct them." He was beyond furious.

"Well arguing and pointing accusing fingers about it isn't helping anything," Rebekah said.

As he rose his head and moved to stand, a piece of singed paper appeared on his desk before his very eyes. The work of a witch. Rebekah and Max stared in awe and confusion.

Klaus took it in his hand and read aloud.

_"We have the girl. If you're willing to cooperate you just might get to see her again. However, whether or not she will be alive depends on how well you obey. It would be a shame if you child were to grow up alone. A child needs parents, after all. Mothers love their children, fathers make them strong._"

His face pinched tightly in blinding anger. There's only one person he'd ever met who had said that line; Klaus had heard it more times than he could count as a child.

He knew who had sent this note, who took them: his father, Mikael.


	34. Chapter 34

**A.N. - Tomorrow, August 1st, is this story's 1st birthday****! **

**Anyway, now that the baby's gender has been revealed please start suggesting cute and old-fashioned boys names. I have a few in mind, but I want to hear some other suggestions in case I change my mind. By the way, this chapter is told from the eyes of various characters - it changes a lot.**

**Please review and enjoy :)**

* * *

Song: Shannon LaBrie -_ Calls Me Home_

A man with dark eyes and pale skin kicked in the front door, completely knocking it off its hinges. He'd already killed the witches - a woman at the back door and a man at the front. They were easy, but now he was faced with a more formidable opponent.

"You really shouldn't have chosen to stay in a public building. They should call you '_Mikael the Careless Fool'_," he scoffed, stepping through the threshold with ease.

Mikael immediately pinned the stranger against the wall. "Who are you?"

The man slyly smirked and replied, "I'm Calhoun Campbell, you son of a bitch. And I've come to save my daughter," before he wriggled out of Mikael's grasp, knocking the Original's feet out from underneath him. He dove for a sharp piece of splintered wood from the broken door and drove it into Mikael's heart.

Knowing he had to act fast, as the wooden stake would only keep Mikael down temporarily, Cal rushed into the basement. He could faintly smell her.

Moments later he found her. Belle.

There she was, in the dimly lit basement of an abandoned apartment complex, chained by her wrists to bed, lying on an old, blood-stained mattress. Her hair was frizzed and her face was pale, but glistening with sweat. A cold sweat. She showed no signs of movement, aside from the occasional involuntary jerk. It looked like she was having a nightmare.

He had to wake her, to let her know everything was going to be okay. He had failed her once and he'd be damned if he'd let it happen again.

Cal broke the chains that bound her and he lifted her carefully into his arms. She was limp and didn't stir. Her skin was cool, like autumn air.

"Belle," he said quietly, moving the hair that stuck to her sticky, sweat-covered forehead. "Wake up. Please."

Her eyes stayed closed.

"Belle." This one was more urgent, pleading almost. He shook her gently, but she didn't wake. She just hung limply in his arms like a rag doll.

He dashed upstairs, clutching his eldest daughter tightly to his chest, and took her outside where he loaded her into the backseat of his car. He'd take her home, to her home. New Orleans.

* * *

Birds screeched loudly above her head like storm sirens as she ran through the forest, darting between the towering trees. Something was chasing her. She had no idea what it was, only that it wanted her dead.

Suddenly the thicket of trees opened into a clearing and a small cabin was in its center. Maybe her faceless assailant wouldn't find her if she hid in there.

She pushed a wooden chair against the door and hid under a table, clutching her knees to her chest.

The monster started banging on the door with its fists. She could hear the wood cracking under the force of each blow. It wouldn't hold.

"Mama," she whispered as tears streamed down her cheeks, streaking the dirt stains on her face. She wiped them away with her small, dimpled hands. "Daddy. Someone, anyone please. Please help me," she sobbed.

But no one came. She was all alone with the monster knocking on the door.

* * *

Cal eyed Belle from his rearview mirror. Her lips twitched like she was trying to open her mouth to speak, but no sound came out.

He pulled up in front of the compound and parked. He got out and carried her inside.

He spotted Max, whom he recognized immediately, sitting at the bottom of the stairs with a boy with dark hair and eyes. They were talking quietly, intimately. Max's head snapped in Cal's direction and the other boy's gaze quickly followed.

Max's mouth dropped and the word, "father," stumbled out. He ran over to them. "Oh my God, Belle," he exclaimed.

Cal shifted her into Max's arms. "She's all right, but unconscious. Some sort of spell."

"Thank you." Max nodded. Cal nodded solemnly in response.

Klaus descended the stairs in a matter of seconds. "What happened?" He demanded furiously. Cal could see the fear in his eyes that he was clearly trying to hide. "What did you do to her?" He looked Cal dead in the eyes.

Cal shook his head. "I did nothing. I'm her father, and I rescued her from the clutches of your father, Mikael. She's been put under a spell, I'm not sure what."

Klaus frowned and took Belle's limp form from Max's grasp.

Cal could tell that Klaus didn't trust him. He didn't blame him.

"I'll get Davina on it." He turned to Max. "Keep an eye on Ester. We'll decide what to do with her later."

Cal clapped a hand on his eldest son's shoulder. "We'll talk later."

Max nodded to both of them and headed to the back of the house where they were keeping Ester locked up for interrogation. She'd showed up at their doorstep not an hour before, willingly giving herself up. Needless to say, no one trusted a word that came out of her mouth. She had a secret agenda and everyone knew it.

Klaus reached the room that he and Belle shared and put her down gently on the bed on her side. He had hoped that the day she returned to her side of the bed would be under better circumstances, but he wasn't complaining. She was home.

Cal lingered in the doorway, politely waiting to be addressed.

"Who are you and what makes you think you can walk into my home like you're a part of the family?" Klaus demanded icily as he turned to face him.

"I'm Calhoun. Although, I prefer Cal." He crossed his arms over his chest and looked Klaus in the eyes, not the least bit intimidated.

His attitude with an undertone of arrogance reminded Klaus of one person in particular: Belle. He knew he'd heard the name before. "Ah, so you're the infamous viking warrior father who raised her," Klaus mused, his voice laced with false enthusiasm and thinly veiled skepticism.

A smirk twitched at the corner of Cal's lips. "She's told you about me."

"Well of course. You know, she quite admired you as a child. Of course, that was before you and your bitch wife beat her senseless and abandoned her." A grimace worked its way across Klaus' face as a frown came across Cal's. "How she loathes you."

Cal stepped into the room, anger boiling under his cool facade. "A mistake I vow never to make again." His eyes remained locked with Klaus'. "She's my daughter - my first born, and I love her. I'm sure you can understand that."

Klaus narrowed his eyes. "How do you know that?"

Cal shrugged nonchalantly. "A father always watches over his children, even when they don't realize he's there."

* * *

Davina sat in the living room, surrounded by stacks of dusty old spell books, as per usual.

Ester - well, Cassie/Ester - sat tied to a cushioned chair on the other side of the room, unusually comfy for a prisoner in the Mikaelson household, but Elijah had suggested that it might encourage Ester to aid them, and hopefully divulge all of her plans to her once beloved children.

"You are aware that I'm much older than yourself, ergo, I'm more knowledgeable."

Davina rolled her eyes and continued to flip through the books, reading about various types of sleeping spells. "So?"

"So, I can help you," Ester replied simply.

"And what would you want in return for your 'help'?"

"Nothing. I just want my children to accept my offer. I want nor need anything from you. However, I am willing to assist you. I'd like to speak with Belinda and it would be much easier if she were awake to hear me out."

Davina looked up from her reading and got to her feet. "Why do you need to talk to Belle?"

"So many questions," Ester muttered.

Ester's eyes darted around the room, checking to see if Max was still standing guard outside - he was. "You needn't worry about that. And to break the spell that Belle has been put under you'll need the marelock orchid. Ansel will know where to find it."

Davina's brow knit in confusion. "Who's Ansel?"

A knock came from the front door. It was firm, loud enough for Davina and Ester to hear in the east wing of the compound.

Elijah went to answer the door, the heels of his leather shoes nearly mimicking the anxious rapping the came from behind the door.

A rugged older man with grayed hair and blue eyes, dressed in a worn plaid shirt and jeans, stood on the other side. "You must be Elijah," he said expectantly, as though they had met before.

Elijah's brow furrowed. "Forgive me, I don't believe I've had the pleasure of making your acquaintance." His polite words lacked the tone. Something was up.

"I'm Ansel, Klaus' father. His real father," he replied.

* * *

**A.N. - Just a quick poll, who likes Cal so far? And yes, I'm continuing to bring in several elements from season 2, including Ansel now. Of course, Im changung things up to make it my own. That's the beauty of fanfiction, right? Who else will be making an appearance? ;) We'll have to wait and see.**


	35. Chapter 35

**A.N.- Shoutout to CayCay1996! Please check out her Klaus/OC story, "Betrayal Knows My Name" :)**

**I'm going back to school this week :/ not fun. I'll still be able to upload every weekend like I do now. There's not too much left in this story so soon I'll be starting a new one. Suggestions are welcome. Please review and enjoy.**

* * *

Song: Morning Parade -_ Speechless (Acoustic)_

Messy, dirty curls fell around her face, shrouding her from the pale-faced monster with sharp teeth and blood-red eyes. She hid under the table while it lurked in the corner of the room, hiding in the shadows. All she could see were its glinting white teeth and eyes.

It looked like her, only older and covered with blood. There was blood on its hands. Its face. Its clothes. Every exposed surface was splattered crimson.

"Go away." Her soprano voice shook with fear as she looked into the monsters eyes. "Leave me alone."

The monster growled and stepped out of the shadows, into the only beam of light in the room that came from the cracked door. It crept toward her slowly, the floorboards creaking under its feet.

Belle tried to get away, to run, but was frozen in fear.

She blinked her eyed as tears started to fill them, and suddenly the monster was gone. Her eyes darted from left to right and she blinked again. It was no where to be seen.

Suddenly the floor creaked behind her. Slowly she turned her body to look, and was met with the same red eyes she feared. They seemed to stare right into her soul, chilling her from the inside out.

A scream escaped her lips as it flipped over the table and pinned her to the floor with its bloodied hands.

She screamed as loud as she could, but no one heard. No one came to her rescue.

* * *

"What do you mean, Elijah?" Klaus sat in a cushioned chair next to the bed where Belle lay unconscious. "How can that man be my father. Mikael killed my father."

"How can our mother be alive? Or Mikael? There's a very good chance that this man is telling the truth. If he is, we should listen," Elijah insisted, putting on his very-serious-big-brother face.

Klaus rolled his eyes and failed to stifle a scoff. "And why, brother, would we do that?" He turned his head to face Elijah, sitting up taller, but not standing. He hadn't left Belle's side since she had been home.

"Because he can help her," Cal interjected. He too had refused to leave Belle in her unconscious state. "That's what you want, isn't it? To help her: the woman you love, the mother of your unborn child, my daughter?" He crossed his arms firmly over his chest and locked his eyes with Klaus'.

Much like his daughter, Cal wasn't afraid to butt heads with Klaus. He was stubborn and obstinate when it came to what he wanted. Klaus had noticed the similarities between the two - Belle and her father - and couldn't help but agree with him.

"Fine," he relented, staring at his shoes. "Bring in the man who calls himself my father and we'll hear what 'help' he has to offer." His eyes met Elijah's. Elijah nodded and stepped out of the room.

Moments later Elijah reentered with a strange man behind him. Klaus immediately recognized him. A thousand years ago he had found this man in the woods, after Mikael had raided the village and murdered everyone in it, stabbed through the middle with a tree trunk. He recognized him by the tattoo on his forearm - three encircled crescent moons.

Klaus stood from the chair, but didn't take a step toward the ghost that stood before him. That's what he had to be - a ghost. He couldn't be here, in the same room with him. "Father," he whispered, not realizing he was saying the word aloud.

"My son," the man said. It was a greeting. He knew who the man before him was - as did Klaus.

"Ansel, could you tell Klaus what you told me," Elijah said, breaking the silence that followed Ansel and Klaus' words.

Ansel's eyes darted around the room, meeting Cal's for a moment, and glancing at Belle's almost motionless form, before meeting Klaus'. "Ester used the same spell to put Mikael to sleep many times, years ago. I would find the orchid for her to both put him down and revive him."

Klaus narrowed his eyes skeptically. "Orchid?"

Ansel nodded. "The marelock orchid. I can retrieve it for you so that you can revive her." His eyes flickered to Belle.

"Why don't you just tell me where it is so I can go and get it myself?"

"Wouldn't it be easier to just go with him?" Cal suggested.

Klaus glared at him. "Stay out of this."

"She's my daughter, I should have a say in how to help her."

"He's trying to help us, Niklaus. You agreed to listen," Elijah added.

Klaus headed for the door. "And I think I've heard quite enough. I'll go find the damned thing myself." He pushed past Ansel, knocking shoulders with him, and walked quickly downstairs.

First Mikael crawls back from the grave, them his mother shows up at their door, and now his father shows up claiming to want to help him. Klaus didn't believe it. Ansel loved Ester, which meant that he would do anything she wanted. He knew she was using Ansel in her plot to make her children human. He wouldn't give in.

After trekking through the dense, humid woods for a solid hour it was safe to say that Klaus didn't have the slightest idea where he was going.

He paused and leaned against a tree, staring up at the thicket of leaves and branches overhead that nearly concealed the blue sky. Sometimes his stubbornness could be a real curse. Perhaps he should've let Ansel help him in this wild goose chase for some magical orchid.

Apparently Ansel had the same idea because Klaus heard a branch snap a few yards behind him and caught a hint of his scent.

Klaus pinned him to a tree by his throat, noting the blade clutched in his right hand. "Stop following me."

Ansel stared back at him, his face expressionless. He said nothing.

"I don't know what exactly Ester has put you up to, and I have no intention of finding out at the moment." Klaus tightened his grip and narrowed his eyes, which were a shade or two of blue darker than Ansel's, and full of anger and frustration. Ansel's were calm. "Now fuck off. I'm in a hurry, if it isn't obvious." Klaus released his grip, trusting Ansel's head back slightly, and started walking away.

"Let me help you Klaus. Without me, you'll likely be searching for quite some time. Months, perhaps. And I know you don't have that kind of time. Every minute we waste arguing is another she spends suffering."

Klaus' eyes shifted to the trees around them as he realized that his father was right. He let out a deep sigh. "Where would you suggest we look?"

Klaus glanced at Ansel to see a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "The west. Come." Ansel motioned for Klaus to follow him.

"Son of a bitch!" Colton's voice echoed through the trees as Klaus and Ansel approached a clearing.

"I told you not to touch it," Cal said.

Of course they came. Klaus rolled his eyes.

Klaus soon saw what "it" was. The tree which housed the orchids was surrounded by vervain. "Of course," he muttered.

"How the hell are we supposed to get it?" Colton rubbed the healing burn on his fingertips as he looked to the other men for suggestions.

"I'll retrieve it for you," Ansel said, a hint of smugness in his voice and on his face. Of course he would, he was only one that safely could since he was the only one who wasn't a vampire.

"How convenient," Klaus mumbled. Ester always found a way to get what she wanted. She wanted Ansel to help, and now he was.

Without warning, Ansel threw his blade at the ground and stepped toward Klaus, his eyes burning with anger and pent up frustration. "Your mother did not bring me back from the dead to do her bidding. How many times must I tell you this? I'm not lying, Niklaus." His voice softened. "We could stand here and argue your suspicions further, or I could get the marelock."

Klaus stepped toward him, not the least bit intimidated - or so he seemed. "Gather the orchids."

Ansel backed off and turned toward the tree, picking up his blade to cut down the plants. Colton and Cal stepped aside, exchanging an uncomfortable expression after witnessing the argument. He delicately cut a few orchids from the vine that wrapped around the tree trunk.

Thought he'd never say it aloud, Klaus was grateful. Not just because Ansel was helping them, but because maybe now, after a millennium, he could get the father he had always longed for. Maybe he wouldn't have to be the son of Mikael anymore.

The sun had taken its leave for the evening, bathing the forest in black, aside from the glow of the waning crescent moon and the fire that flickered before them. The four supernatural men sat around the fire on fallen tree trunks, each one equidistant from the other. They looked like a group of kids at camp who really didn't want to be there.

Colton chewed his nails as he watched Ansel cut the flowers with his blade. "Well this is...kinda like camping." He chuckled. "Right guys?" He looked around at each of them, waiting for an answer, but was only given silence.

"How much longer will that take?" Klaus snapped; the anxiety in his voice was evident.

Ansel glanced up at him as he worked. "Not long."

Cal cleared his throat and started fishing around the pocket of his leather jacket. "Well, might as well pass the time," he said as he pulled out a silver flask. He took a quick sip and passed it to Colton.

Colton took the flask and sniffed it cautiously. He was one of those men who act like they drink a lot, but actually don't. "What is this?"

"Scotch."

He sipped it warily and winced at the taste. "Damn," he muttered in between coughing fits. "That's strong." He extended his hand to Klaus, offering the drink to him.

Klaus took it without hesitation and drank, likely draining half of the flask. He held it in his hand for a few seconds, watching the flames dance on the reflective metal. He turned to Ansel and extended his arm, flask in hand, toward him.

Ansel shook his head. "I'm fine." He returned his attention to his work.

Klaus shrugged and took another swig before handing the flask back to Cal.

Once Ansel finished preparing the orchids they rushed back to the compound.

Klaus and Cal stood by Belle's bedside. Klaus took the pieces of the orchids that were crushes into a near powder form and rubbed it carefully onto the side of her neck, moving her hair out of the way with his thumb. She twitched slightly at his touch but didn't awaken.

"Maybe I should try to enter her thoughts and pull her out," Cal suggested.

Klaus shook his head. "I'll do it." He bent down and placed a hand gently on her arm. Her skin was cool and glistened with sweat.

He got down on his knees to whisper in her ear. He took a deep breath, relaxing a little as he inhaled her familiar scent. "I'm not sure if you can hear me, but if you can please wake up. We need you here, with us." His voice broke a little and his breath got caught in his throat. He quickly regained his composure, mostly because he wasn't alone in the room. "I need you," he whispered even softer.

Klaus closed his eyes and cleared his mind, which wasn't easy, and entered hers. There was a forest, dark and dense. And screaming. A little girl screaming in the distance. Her screams drew closer, so close that he swore she was right beside him, before he was pushed out of her thoughts abruptly. Everything he had seen disappeared in a flash and he was once again looking at her immobile form.

Something wet and warm was pooling under his nose and dripping around his lips. He brought a wary hand to his nose, realizing that it was bleeding. He groaned under his breath and walked in a fit of frustration to the bathroom to clean up.

Once the door closed behind Klaus, Cal seized the opportunity to try his hand at pulling Belle from her hell.

He bent down beside her, as Klaus had, and placed a careful hand on her shoulder. He closed his eyes and took down the wall to his thoughts, letting hers flood his mind.

Cal found himself standing in a forest at night. His eyes darted from left to right and he saw her, though she wasn't like how he had expected her to be. She was a child again - maybe nine. She breathed in and out heavily like she had been running. And from the frightened look in her eyes it looked as though she was running from something. What?

"Belle," he walked over to her, getting down on his knees so he could look her in the eyes directly. He reached out to hug her with one arm, but she pushed him away.

"She's coming." Her eyes anxiously looked around like she was waiting for something to pop out at them without warning. "We have to leave! Father, we need to go." She took a few steps, grabbing onto his arm tightly and pulling.

"Who's coming?" He stood his ground, trying to calm her down.

"The monster. She's coming. We need to leave, now!" Cal could see fearful tears start to slip down her cheeks. "Please daddy, don't let her hurt me."

He pulled her to his chest, resting his chin on her head. He held her arms down at her sides as she tried to pull away. "Shhh, nothing will hurt you, Little Bear. I promise. You need to come home. Please." He pulled away, keeping his hands on her shoulders. He looked into her pale blue eyes and wiped away her tears with his thumb. "You're so strong, so brave. No one will hurt you."

She smiled weakly and nodded. The fear in her eyes waned.

Suddenly he was pulled from his thoughts - her thoughts.

Belle was stirring under his grasp, tossing and turning roughly. Klaus was back on the other side of the bed, anxious eyes watching her every movement. Cal released his hold on her and got to his feet.

Seconds later her eyes flashed open and she shot straight up, taking in fast and shallow breathes. She looked around, confused. Her eyes met Klaus' as he moved to steady her. "Where the hell am I?"

After showering and changing into a fresh pair of clothes, Belle sat at the foot of the bed, clutching the bent up sonogram picture with both hands, holding it delicately by her fingertips like she was afraid it would disintegrate.

Klaus sat down beside her, eyes locked on the picture. "When did you get that?"

Her eyes flickered to his face for a second before moving back to her Little Klaus. "Before...everything." She forced a half smile. She turned and handed him the photo. "Do you want to know whether it's a boy or a girl?"

He nodded as he looked over the black and white photo in his hands. "Of course."

"It's a boy." She laughed quietly to herself. "We're going to have a son." She could still hardly believe that it was true. She was tempted to pinch herself to see if maybe she was still asleep, stuck in the comatose state she had just awoken from.

She didn't look at him, but she was sure that Klaus was grinning ear to ear.

She however, felt numb. Despite being conscious, her mind wasn't entirely with her. She was still stuck in her nightmare.

Of all the things that could've plagued her thoughts, the demon that chose to haunt her was herself.

She stood as she locked eyes with the stranger that stared back at her from the mirror across the room. Its eyes were a pale, icy blue. Its moments matched hers perfectly. It was her in every way, but she couldn't bring herself to accept it. The face that haunted her thoughts couldn't be her own.

As she stood face-to-face with the monster in the mirror all she could do was think about how much she wanted to get away from it. She couldn't bear it.

Her fist hit the glass before she had another second to think about what she was doing. The glass shattered onto the floor, some of it sticking into her knuckles. She barely felt its sting as blood oozed from her wounds.

She smiled when she looked back at the mirror - the monster was gone. It couldn't taunt her anymore.

_"Nothing will hurt you, Little Bear. I promise."_

Something in the doorway caught her eye - her father. She met his eyes - eyes she had missed for hundreds of years - and smiled. He was right. Nothing would hurt her, not anymore. She was a bear: strong, motherly, brave. And, most of all, protective.

No one would hurt her again. No one would hurt her son.


	36. Chapter 36

**A.N. - There are only a few chapters left before this story will come to an end :/ I've been working on it for over a year, so it's time. Let me know if you guys want a prologue. I promised myself that I'd add some more Klauselle (ship name was left in a review by MayaVladkowski :D ), so expect some cuteness (with some drama, as per usual). Also, I'm sorry this is short. I promise the next chapter will be long! There's a lot I want to put in it. Anyway, I'm rambling now! ...**

**As always, please review and enjoy!**

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Song: RAIGN - _Don't Let Me Go_

The summer had taken its annual leave of absence, letting autumn have its time in the spotlight. Winter was only weeks away as Thanksgiving arrived. The Mikaelsons didn't usually celebrate it, but this year was different. Two dysfunctional families would join together for an evening of relative normalcy - well, as normal as things could be when Originals, vampires, hybrids, a miracle baby, and an eight month and something pregnant vampire would be seated around the table.

As chefs and decorators prepared things downstairs, Belle was upstairs painting the baby's nursery with Audrey. They swatched three different blue paints on the wall.

Belle stared intently at them, trying to decide which one would work best, her perfectionist side emerging. The furniture she had picked out was a mix of blues, whites, and grays with a slightly worn, vintage theme to coincide with the aged house. She stepped out of the room for a minute to ask Klaus for his input.

Since she had come home, like in most times of egregious stress and frustration, Klaus had thrown himself into his painting. She was sure it was, not only because of her condition, but because he couldn't find Sabrina, or Ester. No one could. It was like they had disappeared off the face of the earth. A cloaking spell, Davina suggested. Whatever the reason, everyone was on edge, waiting for a sign.

He groaned in frustration as he stood hunched over, struggled to stretch a canvas, the sleeves of his henley, stained with various shades of paint, pushed up to his elbows. He had at least a dozen blank ones scattered around the room. Mozart's Requiem Mass in D minor filled the room.

Belle put her paint-covered hands on her hips, fingers grazing her round, tumescent stomach. "Nik," she said. He didn't answer, too wrapped up in his project. She turned to her left and grabbed a stray paint brush from the table and threw it at the back of his head. "Nik!"

He caught it just before it hit him, and turned to face her with a scowl. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact you can." She stepped closer to him, eyes wandering to the cluster of finished paintings behind him. She couldn't make out what they were, but there were lots of dark hues. "I need you to come look at some paint swatches for the baby's room. I'm leaning toward aegean, but I'm afraid it'll be too dark."

Klaus ran a hand through his disheveled hair and sighed deeply. "Whatever you want is fine," he muttered dismissively.

She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Sure, you could give me that lazy, bullshit excuse, and stay locked up here in your study, or you could actually help me to finish painting our child's room." Her eyes drifted to the floor as she added, "I don't want to do this alone." She tried to disguise the hitch in her voice, but, judging from the look that came across his face, he heard it as clearly as the words that came from her mouth.

He put down the canvas and turned off the music, focusing his attention on Belle and Belle alone.

"I'm sorry. I'll help you with whatever you need." He spoke slowly, weighing his words, watching every minor change in her facial expressions. Apologies weren't his cup of tea.

A smile stretched across her face as her anxiety ebbed. "Thanks."

After a spirited debate, during which Audrey played the role of tiebreaker, they settled on aegean blue. One way or another, Belle always figured out how to get her way.

The room way perfect: an old, off-white rocking chair in the corner, a bookshelf cluttered with old books and a collection of velveteen stuffed animals (namely wolves and bears), one of Klaus' New Orleans cityscape paintings above the crib, an unnecessarily big dresser that was packed with tiny outfits for every imaginable event. They had everything ready for the baby's arrival.

Everything except for a name of course.

Belle had run a few ideas past Klaus, but, as expected, he shot them down. She wasn't sure whether it was because he genuinely didn't like them, or because he hadn't come up with them himself. She assumed it was the latter.

Her train of thought came to a halt and switched tracks when Marcel and Rebekah walked by the open door, heading down the hall, laughing like old friends. If Belle had given a rat's ass about Rebekah's romantic entanglements she would have read more into it, but the one thing that drew in her attention was the sour look that came across Audrey's face; her nose scrunched like she was smelling a dead animal, her eyes squinted like she was looking out a window on a particularly sunny day. Belle knew that look very well after centuries of watching Klaus parade hoards of slutty stuck-up women past her: jealousy. Audrey was jealous of Rebekah?

No. Well, not really.

Her eyes were locked on Marcel as she quite obviously lusted after him. Audrey was jealous of them: Marcel and Rebekah. She saw Rebekah with something that she wanted, a shiny toy at daycare, and, from the looks of it, she wanted it badly.

Belle's lips curled into a wicked grin. She was preparing a snarky comment to shoot at her sister, but Audrey abruptly fled the room like a bat out of hell, determined to be alone - probably to drink and cry, if she dealt with jealously the way Belle did.

Belle turned to Klaus, still grinning like a Cheshire Cat. "Did you see that?"

He chuckled. "Marcel's quite the charmer. You better be be careful, or he'll ensnare you too."

"Ha, right. I'm sure a pregnant woman, who happens to be lightyears out of his league, is a totally viable option."

Klaus put the used brushes and empty paint cans into a bucket and picked it up by the handle. He walked toward the door and motioned for her to go ahead. As they headed downstairs, toward the garage, avoiding the commotion of the holiday preparation, Klaus cleared his throat. "Have you thought of any other names?"

She eyed him inquisitively. "Are you going to shoot it down?" She raised an eyebrow and he rolled his eyes.

"Well, that depends on what the name is, love."

"I'm warning you now, it's a little...different. But hopefully in a good way!"

He glanced at her wearily as they stepped into the garage. "Go ahead." He flipped on a light and went to put the bucket on a nearby shelf that was cluttered with various tools they never used.

A thud echoed from the other room; someone either dropped a chair or slammed a door.

Belle took a dramatically deep breath, hopefully increasing Klaus' anticipation, assuming there was any. "Blade."

She watched with anticipation as he mulled it over. "Blade," he tested the word out, and tried it again, quieter this time. "Blade."

A smile played at his lips. "I like it."

Before she could even take a breath, his lips pressed to hers. It was a quick kiss, but as passionate as the one that had led them to where they were, soon-to-be parents. He cupped her face in his hands, his eyes dark in the dim room. His bright smile seemed to illuminate his face - and the entire room, perhaps. Or maybe it was just the surplus of hormones inside her. She didn't care either way.

"Blade Mikaelson."

Klaus furrowed his brows and took a half-step back, keeping one hand under her chin and tilting her head up so their eyes were locked. "Mikaelson? No hyphen? No Mikaelson-Campbell or Campbell-Mikaelson?" His tone was light, eyes showing no sign of anything but curiosity, but she feared that he was starting to panic on the inside. Maybe there was a reason he had never really had a "committed relationship" in the past.

_"Yeah, and that reason is you, dumbass. He's been in love with you for centuries_,'" Belle's thoughts reminded her. At least, she hoped that was the reason.

"Uhhh, I, I," for quite possibly the first time in her life she was at a complete loss for words.

He stood before her, amused, and closed the space between them, pressing his body flush against hers. "Good," he whispered, his lips mere inches from hers.

For a moment she thought he was kidding. She waited for him to say something else, to let her in on his joke, but he didn't.

Without another word, he released her, stepped back, and left her to contemplate his thinly veiled insinuation.

Of course she loved Klaus, but could she be his wife? Mrs. Niklaus Mikaelson?


	37. Chapter 37

**A.N. - The end is neigh! I'm trying to end this at an even 40 chapters, but we'll have to see. I'm sorry for not updating last week :/ at least this is up now. Please read, review and enjoy 乀(ˉεˉ乀) - cute, right?**

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Song: Les Friction -_ Who Will Save You Now_

"Good," the taunting word played in her head on an endless loop as she climbed the stairs to the roof. It was her place of safety, her place of solace. She scaled the rusty metal ladder and stepped out onto the rooftop, a cold breeze hitting her straight in the face, blowing her hair, cardigan and the hem of her dress behind her.

She felt like, for a moment, she could fly. Even if she could, she wouldn't. She had lost the ironic shackles of the nomadic lifestyle long ago. New Orleans was her home - her true home. It was where she would raise her son, and perhaps where she would marry man of her dreams. The mere thought of marriage had once made her both gag and sneer. After being left nearly a thousand years ago by a man who claimed to love her and promised to make her his wife, marriage hadn't seemed like a really sound thing. And it's not like her parents were a good example of a successful marriage - they hated each other.

It wasn't until Klaus admittedly became hers, and she his, that she started reconsidering the idea, toying with it in her head like a cat would a toy mouse, tossing it back and forth, examining every aspect of it.

When she was a girl all she wanted was to become a wife, and a mother. Well, that was after Sabrina was born; before that she wanted to chop off all her hair and become a viking warrior, like her idolized father, thought it was unheard of for a woman. The first time she held her youngest sister in her arms was a truly epic moment. Though she was only eight years old, as she looked into Sabrina's wide brown eyes, holding her tiny dimpled hand, she knew that she'd spend the rest of her life seeking that same feeling. Being responsible for someone else, being truly selfless, was the most noble thing she could imagine - even more noble than being a warrior. She put away the sword her father had given her, without her mother's knowledge of course, and focused on her young siblings.

Now they were grown, and soon she'd be blessed with another child of her own. And Sabrina was no longer an innocent newborn with wide eyes and no teeth; she was a young woman with hate and her eyes, wanting to sink her razor-sharp teeth into the sister who had somehow wronged her. Belle wished more than anything that she could find out what it was.

Dinner began as the sun started setting.

Fourteen chairs set around a long mahogany table, Klaus at one head and Elijah at the other. It was their unnecessarily large table that came in handy every now and again. To Klaus' right was Belle. Colton, Marcel, Rebekah and Hayley finished off the row. Directly to Klaus' left was, surprisingly enough, Ansel, and Max, Cal, Audrey and Claudia. Hope was upstairs, asleep. Thankfully everyone in the room had uncanny supernatural hearing in case she woke up and started crying.

Belle sat hunched over slightly, one elbow on the table, toying with a fork in her other hand. Her eyes scanned over the faces across the table before settling on Max's. "Hey, where's Josh?" she asked nonchalantly. "I thought he'd be here."

Max's eyes wandered to his empty wine glass. He picked it up lightly by the stem, twirling it aimlessly between his thumb and index finger. He sighed heavily, put down the glass and grabbed a bottle of red wine from the tray of one of the servers walking behind him. "Don't know," he muttered as he poured the wine into the glass, watching the stream of burgundy liquid like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

Audrey turned her head, raising an eyebrow. "Really? You don't know?" She scoffed. "I heard you two on the phone earlier."

Belle smirked maliciously. "Oh really? Do tell." By this point everyone at the table was either blatantly listening or pretending not to eavesdrop.

He anxiously shifted in his chair like he wanted to get up and sprint out of the room, but settled for taking a generous drink of his wine. "You don't wanna know."

"You cheated on him, didn't you?" Rebekah blurted from the other end of the table. Everyone's eyes moved to face her, mostly amused, some just bored. She shot everyone a defensive expression, clutching her wine glass. "What? It's obvious, isn't it?"

Max slammed his fist down on the table with enough force the shake the entire thing - thankfully not enough to break it. "It's nobody's God damned business, okay?" He pressed his shaking hands together and took a deep breath. "Can we just drop it?" His eyes filled with desperation. There was something else behind them - sadness? Loneliness? Belle couldn't tell.

She exhaled deeply, taking a sip of her water; she wished it was wine. Her eyes wandered aimlessly before settling on Hayley and Elijah at the other end of the table. She leaned forward slightly, trying not to make it obvious that she was watching them. Were they holding hands? She was pretty sure they were. Looking away, she smiled a little - good for them.

She felt Klaus' eyes on her, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of returning his gaze. His borderline psychotic mood swings were giving her whiplash - ignoring her one minute, then practically getting down on one knee with a ring in his hand the next.

Unfortunately her game of playing hard to get ended as quickly as it had started once Klaus picked up his fork and tapped his wine glass repeatedly, drawing everyone's attention to him. Smirking, he put down the fork and raised his glass a little higher - fingers lightly on the stem, thumb on the bowl. "As I'm sure you all know, we are here today to give thanks-"

"And we all know you're an ungrateful brute, brother," a voice called from the shadows - a man's voice. Belle didn't recognize it, but he had a thick English accent.

Everyone's heads jerked in his direction, eyes narrowed. Klaus put down the glass and turned slowly to face the man as though he was expecting him. "I was wondering when you'd crawl back from your grave, Kol." His jaw was clenched tightly, his eyes shooting daggers at him that were sharper than the ones with which he had put Kol down with countless times over the centuries.

The man didn't look like Kol - he had brown curly hair, blue-gray eyes, a softer jawline, and was a bit taller. No, it wasn't Kol, but he was definitely inside the man's body. The way he walked, how he carried himself, his arrogance, it was all Kol.

Before anyone else moved a single muscle, Elijah had him pinned against the wall by his throat - it was unusually violent of him. Klaus was right behind him, as was Rebekah. Everyone else stayed seated, watching with great interest - Ansel especially. His eyes were locked on Klaus protectively.

"Would you mind giving us a reason as to why you're here?" Elijah demanded, tightening his grip. Belle noticed Hayley keeping a very close eye on Elijah - as if poor human Kol could do anything to Original Elijah.

Kol made a choking sound as he struggled to respond, pushing on Elijah's arm to no avail. "Can't a man visit his family on a holiday without being attacked?" Kol's eyes darted to each of his siblings' faces, possibly desperately. "What, do you think our mother sent me here? She's been here under your roof for bloody months. I came here because I wanted to."

Rebekah scoffed. "Please, Kol. Do you honestly expect us to believe that?"

Klaus shifted anxiously, clearly wanting to take control of the situation. "I know just what we'll do with you." A smirk came across his face; he looked quite adorable in Belle's eyes with his dimples, but the glint of mischief in his eyes could only mean one thing: torture. "Put him in the other room, Elijah. Rebekah, help me find some chains and sharp objects." The lilt in his voice made him sound like a child preparing to play a game, and no one played the game of torturous interrogation quite like Klaus did.

"Now?" Belle groaned, locking eyes with Klaus with an expression of utter annoyance.

"Yes, now." He rolled his eyes. "Or would you prefer for me to find another chair and seat him at the table?"

She waved her hand dismissively in his direction, turning away. "Fine, do whatever."

Elijah proceeded to drag Kol, literally, through the double doors while Klaus and Rebekah went to retrieve God knows what. Klaus had a brilliant mind that was designed for torture - Belle was sure he had a few tricks up his sleeve, tricks she too was handy with.

As for the rest of them, well, they sat in an eerie silence that was disturbed only by the sound of forks on plates, glasses clinking against the table, and the occasionally agonizing scream from a few rooms over.

At last, Cal broke the silence. "Well, I don't know about the rest of you but I can safely say that this is by far the strangest Thanksgiving dinner I've ever had."

Everyone gave him an irritated glare, Claudia's was particularly ticked off.

Rebekah's heels clicked against the wooden floor as she reentered the room, wiping fresh blood off on a towel which she set aside before sitting down beside Marcel once again. She opened her mouth to speak, but Audrey interrupted her.

"Why didn't you ever call me back?" Her eyes narrowed at Marcel, who blatantly avoided her eyes. Apparently he found the scraps of food that remained on his plate much more interesting.

"Excuse me?" Rebekah snapped, mouth slightly gaping.

"What?" Belle nearly spit up the water she was drinking, coughing loudly once she swallowed it. She thought it was just some little crush Audrey had, not that they may have actually known each other. Apparently that was not the case. Intrigued, she watched the exchange that unfolded before her - dinner and a show.

"You said you'd call me, but you never did. That was twelve years ago, twelve fucking years!" Audrey's voice rose about half an octave with each word. Her eyes burned with the fury of a heart-broken woman, something Belle knew far too much about. Hell hath no fury like that of a woman scorned.

"I'm sorry, okay? I know I shouldn't have done that, but we were never gonna work out anyway."

Audrey's jaw practically hit the floor. "Excuse me? What makes you say that, because I don't look like bitchy little Original Barbie over there? Is that it? Do you have a blonde fetish or something?" Audrey's voice was laced with sarcasm. She huffed and took a sip of her wine, eyes locked on Marcel.

He rolled his eyes. "No, that's not it."

"Oh really, then please explain."

Belle had lost interest by this point, her attention wandering over to Cal and Ansel who were talking quietly, paying little to no attention to the argument going on. They had gotten pretty close over the past few months, "long-lost" fathers bonding over their shared pasts. Claudia sat like a toddler in time out, staring blankly at the wall, arms crossed and pouting. As for Colton, he was working on his fifth glass on wine and occasionally attempting to look down Rebekah or Hayley's tops. Belle rolled her eyes and turned her attention to her lifelong partner in crime - Max.

He seemed upset, maybe about what had happened earlier, about her gaining up on him and Josh. Without a word, he pushed back his chair and stormed out of the room. Belle frowned and quickly followed after him. "Max," she called, but he didn't slow down. No one seemed to notice their leaving, too wrapped up in their individual conversations, each person trying to talk over the other.

Max headed for the stairs, but she caught up to him just before he reached them.

"Hey, what the hell? Where are you going?"

He turned to face her with tears in his eyes. "Have you ever taken a look at our family, Belle? I mean really taken a look at just how fucked up and complicated we are?" His voice was raspy and quiet, his cerulean blue eyes full of confliction.

Her brows knit together as she tried to get the answer she sought, hoping to find them in his eyes or in his tears. "What are you talking about, Max?"

"We are the seven deadly sins, personified in the form of a family that's broken beyond repair. Audrey with her envy. Colton with his gluttony. Our mother with her sloth. Our father with his pride. Sabrina with her greed. You with your wrath. Me with my lust." Silent tears slipped down his cheeks, clinging to his chin and bottom eyelashes. He couldn't even look her in the eye, not wanting her sympathy. "We're all broken, and we can never be fixed. We'll never be whole - not together, not alone."

She reached out to put a comforting hand on his shoulder, but he backed away. "Max," she said, begging him to listen. "We can-"

"Why are you trying so hard to make us a family again? This dinner, with them? It's bullshit. You've always loved the Mikaelsons, admit it. You're one of them." Much like she, Max tended to channel his sadness into rage, and this time was no exception.

It was her turn to cry. "Max, you know that's not true. I'm, I'm a Campbell. I'm not a Mikaelson. I swear. Please, just," her voice broke as she spoke, trying desperately to express the thoughts that flooded her head.

But Max wouldn't hear it. "No," his voice rose. "You're not. It's that simple. The sooner you realize it, the better off you and your Mikaelson baby will be." His jaw tightened he was trying not to scream. "I heard you and Klaus earlier."

"Max," she pleaded, "Max that was nothing, really. I'm not leaving you, I swear."

He scoffed loudly, tossing his head back melodramatically. "Right. You're not leaving me, Josh isn't leaving me. No one is leaving anyone because the world is made of hopes and dreams and rainbows and everyone loves everyone unconditionally and no one lies and cheats and breaks anyone else's heart." Despite the smile that stretched across his face, Max was crying hysterically, uncontrollably at that point. "He found someone else to make him happy, and so did you. And you deserve to be happy, right? So go. Be happy." Wiping the tears from his cheeks, his face fell. He turned and started to walk away toward the front door, but Belle caught him by the elbow.

"Max, no. Don't leave. We can, we can talk through this. I'm not going to leave you, and you aren't going to leave me, okay?" She held onto him with desperation, like her life depended on it, like she was drowning in her tears and he was her lifeboat. She wouldn't let him leave, she couldn't. They had been through everything together over the past nine hundred years. She needed him by her side.

A cry rang out from upstairs - Hope.

Max narrowed his eyes. "You gonna get that?"

Belle's eyes darted repeatedly from his eyes to the stairs. No one else was coming to check on Hope and her maternal instincts were taking over. She wanted to wait, but Max's patience was gone. She reluctantly turned back to him. "Just wait here for a second, please?" She turned and ran upstairs as fast as she could, wiping the tears from her cheeks as she entered baby Hope's room.

Hope rolled around on her back in her crib, screaming at the top of her little lungs, her face red and wet with tears. A woman stood over her - Ester. She must have broken out of her cell in the basement. She looked down upon the wailing infant with a smile on her face, reaching out a hand to stroke Hope's cheek.

Belle clenched her jaw and moved toward Ester, but someone caught her by the back of her arm roughly, pulling her back and spinning her around. She was met with milk-chocolate brown eyes. "Sabrina," she choked out, barely above a whisper.

She tried to scream, tried to get away, but Sabrina held a knife to her stomach, so close that Belle could feel the blade's coolness through the thin fabric of her dress. "Make one move and you're little bastard won't live to take his first breath." She clamped her hand over Belle's mouth as Ester turned to face them. Belle jerked her head in Ester's direction as she unleashed a powerful wave of magic onto her, sending a shock of pain that radiated throughout her head. Belle screamed against Sabrina's palm, but it was almost inaudible.

The pain moved like wildfire through her body in a matter of seconds, coursing through every vein and artery and nerve and fiber of her being. A warm sensation snaked down her legs to her shoes. She looked down and screamed even louder against Sabrina's hold - blood. Bright crimson blood dripped down her legs, staining her dark blue dress in its path. It dripped onto the floor, pooling around her feet. Something was wrong; something was wrong with _him_.

Sabrina grinned wickedly; it was the kind of grin that only came across the faces of the most sadistic people. And it was that grin that made Belle realize who her sister truly was. "It's time," Sabrina whispered, her eyes locked on Belle's stomach where her unborn son lay in distress.

Max was right - Sabrina was _Greed_. And Belle knew exactly what it was that she so desperately wanted.


	38. Chapter 38

**A.N. - So this is where it all comes to an end, the moment you've all been waiting for, the climax. Expect one more chapter &amp; an epilogue. Warning: tears may be shed.**

**Please review &amp; enjoy!**

* * *

Song: Passenger - _For You_

A high-pitched wailing came from Hope's nursery upstairs. It wasn't the usual cry he heard when she was hungry or needed to be changed. She sounded afraid - terrified. His paranoia kicked in.

Klaus dropped the blade in his hand, covered in Kol's blood, and turned quickly to Elijah. "Watch him while I get Hope."

Elijah nodded, bit into his wrist, and healed Kol, who wailed pitifully as the cuts on his face and arms healed quickly, with his blood.

Hope's cries seemed to get more desperate with each passing minute, or maybe that was just his imagination. He couldn't be sure.

When he got to the room the first thing he noticed was that the door was wide open; they had closed it earlier when Hope was put down for a nap. Once he stepped through the threshold a puddle of blood caught his eyes; it was fresh.

His eyes shot over to Hope, who, despite the screaming, was physically unharmed. She rolled over onto her side and looked him in the eyes, identical shades of blue merging into one. It was like she was trying to speak to him.

The thin white curtains blew outward before being sucked back again, then continuing the cycle. In, out, in, out. Like breathing. The window was open - wide enough for someone to fit through. He swiftly pulled the window close and turned to soothe the distressed infant.

"I've waited months for this moment, boy," spat a venomous voice. It was one that haunted Klaus' thoughts, his dreams, his every waking minute.

"Mikael."

Klaus turned to face the man he had once called "father" with a look of pure hatred, bearing his hybrid fangs without shame. He tackled him into the hallway, slamming his back against the wall. The drywall cracked under the force of the blow, covering Mikael's shoulders with white dust.

Mikael pushed back with equal force, forcing Klaus against the opposite wall. Klaus felt something sharp pressed against the fabric of his shirt, sharp enough to pierce the fabric, and, quite possibly, his heart. He looked down and his eyes fell upon a horrific, bone-chilling sight: the white oak stake in Mikael's grasp. He was clutching it so tightly his knuckles were bone white.

"Any last words before I drive this into your heart?" Mikael pressed the stake down harder, breaking the skin on Klaus' chest, just one flick of the wrist away from driving it through his pounding heart.

Before Klaus even had a chance to react, to fight back, something long and sharp pierced through Mikael's throat, sending a powerful stream of blood down his neck and across Klaus' face. Mikael let out a muffled wail as the rod was pulled out from the back. He collapsed to the ground on his knees, dropping the stake. Klaus looked up and met the cerulean eyes of his ally: Max.

Without another moment of hesitation, Klaus seized his moment of opportunity and dropped to the floor, snatched the stake and put his boot down on Mikael's torso, keeping him still. "Now, do you have any last words before I drive this into your heart, again?"

He reveled in the look of fear and pain that flashed across Mikael's face as he looked down upon him. It was a look he had only seen once before, when he had last killed his father back in Mystic Falls. In spite of what Mikael had done to Belle since his return, Klaus knew that this time it would be all the more enjoyable to watch his corpse burn to ash. But, hopefully, this time would be the last.

"I'm glad you aren't my son, you pathetic," before he could get another insulting, demeaning word in, Klaus drove the stake through his heart. He had heard every scornful comment Mikael could possibly think of in his depraved, sadistic mind over the years; he wasn't about to hear another.

Klaus hovered over Mikael as the light in his eyes went out and his final breath passed through his bloodied lips. He stepped back and watched Mikael's corpse burst into flames. The light from the fire illuminated the dim space, bouncing off the frames of the old painting and photographs that hung along the walls of the hallway.

Klaus turned to Max as his mind strayed to his initial concern, and asked a question that was burning in his thoughts, like Mikael's body was before their eyes, "Where's Belle?"

Max shook his head, eyes searching the orange flames for some answers to which he didn't even seem to know the questions. He seemed to be a million miles away. "I don't know. We were arguing downstairs and then Hope started crying. She went upstairs to check on her." His eyes flickered to Klaus', filled with undeniable guilt. "I haven't seen her since."

* * *

Pain shot through her entire body, radiating from her core, as two warlocks carried her through the threshold of her secret garden, the house in which Claudia and her siblings had lived when they had reunited roughly a year before. The men put her down on the floor in the center of the front room; the house was completely empty, unlike the last time she had been there.

A pale, blonde woman entered the room - a witch, Belle assumed. "We need to get the baby out as soon as possible," the girl said to Sabrina, who stood back with Ester, watching Belle groan in pain.

"Not yet," Sabrina said smoothly.

The agony became even more unbearable with each passing second. It was worse than the hours she had suffered periodically over the past few months, worse than the pain of childbirth itself. She knew why; her body was fighting itself, trying to heal as her innocent son unknowingly broke it down. It was an ongoing cycle of physical misery.

A scream slipped through her lips as she opened her mouth to speak. "Please," she pleaded, looking into Sabrina's cold eyes, "please don't hurt him. Whatever I did to you, it's not his fault. Don't make an innocent child suffer for my mistakes."

A menacing laugh echoed from across the room where Sabrina stood. She approached Belle slowly, creating an unnerving anticipation. "My dear sister, you don't even know what mistakes you've made, do you?" She got down on her knees, reaching out to stroke Belle's hair, which was matted with sticky sweat. "Well, fear not. I'd be happy to tell you." She smiled sweetly, contradicting to look of utter resentment in her eyes, and got to her feet again. She paced the room as she spoke, circling Belle like a vulture. "When you forced me into this life nearly a thousand years ago, you neglected to consider how it would ultimately effect me. Of course, I would expect no less coming from from you. You see, I had a life of my own. I had a husband." She paused, feigning sadness. "We were on the road to starting a family. And when you turned me, I was just a few months pregnant with a beautiful baby boy, just like you."

Belle's heart dropped. If her ribs and flesh weren't in the way, she was sure it would've dropped out of her body completely. "What? No, no, you're lying. You weren't pregnant."

"But, I was. When you turned me, when I died, he died - only, he didn't come back." Her face was stern, stone-like. Her lips pursed into a firm line as she paused, looking Belle straight in the eyes. "You killed my son, so now I'm going to kill yours, just like I did to your precious Lilith. You need to feel the pain of loosing a child before you can even hold them in your arms - and trust me when I say this: it'll rot you from the inside." Sabrina took in a deep breath and turned to the blonde witch, and nodded. "Let's get this show on the road."

* * *

"Ester was here, I know it. She's helping Sabrina, and Sabrina must have taken Belle. If we find Ester, we find them." Max anxiously paced the living room floor, just like he'd been doing for the past half hour. Klaus sat on the couch, tapping his foot with just as much anxiety. He hated not being able to do anything. He needed to act, to spill blood.

"How do you know that Ester doesn't have a cloaking spell on them right now? She's a thousand years old; I'm pretty sure she's smart enough to do that," Audrey interjected.

"She's right," Elijah added.

"I say we go in, guns blazing. You know, metaphorically." Colton shifted forward in his seat, eagerly trying to help. Unfortunately, he had the mind of a twelve-year-old boy, which was, for obvious reasons, useless.

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "We can't do that if we don't even know where they are, you bloody moron."

"I have a hunch," Max said.

Klaus couldn't help but scoff. "Well, there's our answer. Max has a 'hunch'. Surely he must be right." He continued staring blankly at the wall as he rolled his eyes.

Max rolled his eyes, as if to mock Klaus' annoyance. "I'm serious. Sabrina's a creature of habit, a there are only three places I can think of that they would go: St. Anne's church, Lafayette cemetery, and the plantation house. If we split up and try each place, surely one of us will find them." Max turned to each of them, desperate for someone to back him up.

Elijah nodded. "Max is right. It's our best option, as far as I can see." He turned to a brooding, frustrated Klaus. "Brother?"

Klaus looked Elijah in the eyes, determined as ever, and nodded. "Elijah, you and I will go to the plantation; Rebekah, Marcel, and Audrey will go to the church; Max and Colton will go to the cemetery; everyone else can stay here."

"The hell I am," Cal interjected. "That's my little girl, and I'll be damned if I sit by and do nothing."

"Well, I see who your favorite is," Audrey muttered.

Colton rolled his eyes. "We've known that for years."

"Cal and I will go with you," Ansel said to Klaus, locking eyes with him. Klaus nodded.

Max stood up with enthusiasm, a hopeful look in his eyes. "Let's do this."

This didn't phase Klaus' pessimistic attitude. What if they weren't in any if those places? And there was no way of telling what Sabrina would do to Belle, or the baby for that matter. What about Ester? He doubted she had given up on her crusade to "save" her children by making them mortal. There were too many unknowns for his liking, granted, he always preferred to know everything.

Klaus got to his feet quickly and turned to Elijah, Cal, and Ansel, the uncertainty mingling with determination in his dark, ocean blue eyes. "Shall we?"

* * *

Belle screamed at the top of her lungs as the little blonde witch drug a scalpel along her stomach; Sabrina was far too impatient to wait for a natural birth, hence her decision for an amateur cesarean section. The only problem was that, every time she cut her flesh, the wound would heal too quickly for her to move far enough, just breaking the first layer or two of skin. Belle had lost count of how many times they had cut her open; she wished she could lose any sense of feeling so she wouldn't have to continue the ongoing torture.

Frustrated, Sabrina took the blade from the witch and pushed her aside. "I'll do it, for fucks sake." She knelt down by Belle's side and pulled her forcefully to her. She took no time as she dug the blade into her flesh, opening her up and cutting through layers of skin and tissue, at last exposing a tiny, squealing infant.

Ester knelt down on her other side. "It's a boy," she said, fighting a smile. Ester took the child in her arms, tilting him toward Belle slightly. His face was as red as a cherry tomato and a mop of dirty blonde curls were matted to his head. Ester wiped the blood away from his eyes, mouth, and cute little snubbed nose.

As her body healed itself, Belle smiled, despite the pain. He was her little Klaus. Her Blade. He turned his head to her, flashing a toothless grin, and opening his far-too-large eyes. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked into his eyes, his dark brown eyes, so dark they were almost black. He had her eyes; he had Lilith's eyes.

Sabrina stood and walked around to Belle's other side to stand beside Ester. Ester stood, eyes darting from Sabrina's to Belle's.

"Please," she pleaded, eyes locked on Ester's. "Please, don't do this. Let me hold him. I just, I just want to hold him." Tears fell from her eyes, mingling with the sweat on her cheeks. "From one mother to another, please. You can't do this. You can't take him from me."

Ester's eyes, swimming with confliction, locked with hers. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Sabrina groaned, reached over, and snatched Blade from her arms. "Let's get this over with." She adjusted the screaming baby in her cradled arms and turned to one of the warlocks. "Take care of her," she said, nodding in Belle's direction.

"No," she shook her head with as much force as she could, and tried to sit up, but the gaping wound in her abdomen prevented it. "No!"

The taller warlock with dark hair walked quickly toward her, drawing a knife from the belt around his waist. He knelt down beside her and raised her head up slightly. The last thing she heard before the darkness overtook her was the desperate cries of her newborn son, begging her to save him.

When she awoke, there was an unbearable, searing heat surrounding her. She heard the crackling of flames. As she regained consciousness, the scent of burning wood filled her nose. Her eyes shot open and her senses were right; the house was on fire. Her instincts took over and she ran out of the burning house as it began collapsing around her. She had to get out; she had to find Blade.

She stood on the front lawn, watching the house in which she had once found solace fall apart and burn to ash, trying to think clearly.

She reached up with her right hand, bringing her thumb to her lips and biting her nail, an old, anxious habit. Seconds later, as her mind cleared, she brought her hand back down, noticing the blood that had rubbed off from her neck. Her survival meant that she was, once again, a full-blooded vampire. And a vampire could protect their own.

Suddenly, she heard tires on the gravel driveway, heading up to the house. She turned around quickly and immediately recognized Klaus' car. He stopped abruptly and got out, leaving the door open. She ran over to him as fast as she could, pausing in front of him, mouth gaping, eyes wide.

"What happened?"

"She, they, they took him." Her face was vacant of expression, her eyes indicating that she was somewhere else entirely. "I think know where he is. Ester's been consecrated, so she's using ancestral magic, right?" Her eyes darted to Cal, Ansel, and Elijah, who were getting out of the car, looking at her like she was a ghost. "She's at the cemetery." She scoffed without mirth. "New Orleans witches love that damned cemetery. It's where she cursed me, and probably where she resurrected Kol if she's a habitual witch. We should go there."

Cal nodded. "Max and Colton are there. I'll call and ask if he's seen either of them."

As if in cue, Cal's phone rang. It was Colton. Belle caught pieces from Colton's side; something was wrong, she could hear the urgency in his voice. As soon as she heard the words, "she's here," she took off running toward the city, determined. She had to save her son before it was too late.

Klaus threw the keys to Elijah and ran after her, quickly catching up. He didn't stop her, but she knew he wouldn't let her do it alone. They had to save their son.

She and Klaus got to the cemetery before the rest of them. Colton met them at the entrance. "Where's Max?" Belle demanded. "Did you find Sabrina? Ester?"

Colton hesitated. "Yeah, we, um, we did see them. Ester, she," he paused like he was out of breath, or trying to hold back tears. What happened? "She attacked us, took us off guard. Max, he," a sob slipped through his lips, followed by a few fat tears. "She, um. I don't know where Ester is. Sabrina, she took the baby, and Max went after her, but she stopped him." He ran a hand through his hair anxiously, biting his lower lip so hard he nearly broke the skin. "I don't know where she went. But, I uh, I trapped Ester in one of the tombs. You can deal with her. And Max, he's back there." Without looking, Colton turned his body and pointed behind him. A pool of blood stained the concrete ground behind one of the crypts.

Wearily, she stepped toward it. She felt like she was having a lucid dream; she was in control of her body, but nothing around her felt real. When she saw what was on the other side, she wished she were dreaming. A scream tore through her lips as she dropped to her knees, covering her mouth in a failing attempt to stifle her screams.

Max lay in a pool of his own blood, a metal spike from the fence through his shoulder, a wooden stake through his heart. His skin was cold and gray, veins raised. His eyes were closed, Colton's doing, she was sure.

"What a pity, that the people we love the most are always the ones we hurt. Even if we don't mean to."

Belle turned with tears streaming down her face, meeting Sabrina's cold eyes. "I didn't do this," she insisted. "This was your fault."

"No, sweet sister, it isn't. You brought Max to this city; you drug him into your drama. You did this. It's all your fault. Just like my husband's death was my fault - of course, I actually killed him. True, it was an accident, but murder is murder. It can't be undone. You know, he was my first kill, just like I was yours. Well, technically yours was a two-in-one. And now, the same thing will happen to your son." A mirthless grin played at her lips. "Karma's a bitch, ain't he?"

Fed up with her taunting, Belle forced Sabrina against the fence, letting the sharp metal spikes pierce her skin, digging into her arms and back. "I'm sorry for what I did to you, but I'm not sorry for this," she said, plunging her fist into Sabrina's chest, latching onto her heart. But before she could tear it from her, Sabrina forced her off, sending her flying into a crypt, shattering the stone into chunks.

Sabrina pulled herself off the fence and stood, arms spread boldly. "Is that the best you've got?" Sabrina rushed forward and tackled Belle to the ground, punching her in the face, busting her lower lip open. "You can do better than that."

Belle forced her off, slamming her into an adjacent crypt, the stone cracking under the force. She rammed her knee into Sabrina's left thigh, shattering her femur so she couldn't run. A mangled cry echoed from her lips. Belle wrapped her hand around Sabrina's throat, squeezing tight enough to nearly stop her from breathing. "You killed my daughter; you tried to kill my son; you killed our brother; you tried to kill me. Now, I'm going to kill you."

She looked into Sabrina's fearful eyes, but forced herself to look away as she tore Sabrina's head from her body. She couldn't bear to watch the light leave her eyes, no matter what she had done. She was still her sister, the little girl she had watched grow up. Though she was no longer a sweet, innocent child, her eyes said otherwise. They were still the same milk chocolate hue that they'd always been. Her eyes lacked the darkness that had rotted her soul for centuries.

Without looking back, unable to face the act she had been forced to commit, Belle followed the cries echoing from a tomb nearby; it was Blade. He lay swaddled in a white sheet, blood still staining his pale skin, watching her eagerly with his familiar eyes. There was a piece of her beloved daughter's soul in him; she could feel it. She reached out and lifted him into her arms, cradling him and rocking him gently, holding him for the very first time.

"It's okay, baby. Everything's going to be fine. I promise." She wasn't sure whether her words were meant for him or herself, but she didn't really care. She meant them either way. Footsteps echoed behind her; it was Klaus, she knew it without even turning around.

"Ester's dead. We sent her back to her rightful body; she won't be back." His words sounded hallow, like he was reciting lines from a teleprompter. His eyes were locked on the tiny, swaddled figure in Belle's arms.

She turned to face him, and nodded. "Sabrina's dead."

He nodded, eyes still on Blade.

"Would you like to meet your son, our son?"

He nodded and stepped closer. Carefully, she shifted the baby into Klaus' arm, placing a hand gently on the back of his head to help support it. His hair was dry now, letting his fluffy little blonde curls move freely between her fingers.

Blade looked up into Klaus' eyes, flashing a toothless smile, dimples and all, and latched onto his finger with his little fist. Klaus leaned down to kiss the baby on the his forehead, smiling with his identical dimples. Like father like son; Little Klaus and the original.

"Everything's going to be fine," Belle repeated. Only, this time she knew it was to herself. "I promise."

* * *

**A.N. - In case anyone was wondering, yes, I did take inspiration from Hope's birth in 1x22. Of course, it's not the same by any means. Let me know what you guys think! Next chapter will tie up any loose ends, so don't worry.**


	39. Chapter 39

**A.N. - So, as this is the final chapter (not counting the epilogue), I thought I'd say a little something to all of you, my loyal readers. Thank you so much to all (at the moment) 165 of you! It may not seem like a lot to some of you, but it's a lot to me! It means a lot that you guys actually enjoy my writing and ideas :) Writing's something I love, so it's nice to know that other people like the things I write as much as I like writing them. Anyway, it's been a hell of a ride for the duration of this story; thanks for making it worth my time. Hopefully it was worth yours. Love you guys!**

**Be on the lookout for my next Klaus/OC story (also for The Originals), which will be titled "Smoke And Mirrors".**

* * *

Song: Ingrid Michaelson - _When I Go_

The woman in the mirror did not appear to be in mourning, aside from being dressed in black from head to toe. She looked like a distant relative who showed up to the funeral because she had nothing better to do. Her eyes weren't red and puffy from hours of crying. Her face was composed, self-assured. She had promised herself that she would be fine, so that's how she was. Fine. Just fine.

Klaus sat at the foot of the bed, watching her intently as she finished getting ready, putting in the final bobby pin for her up-do. Blade was cradled in his arms, wearing a navy and black striped onesie. Klaus was dressed in denim jeans and a black button-up. He, on the other hand, was not attending a funeral, per say. The Mikaelsons agreed to burn Ester and Mikael's corpses and be done with it. No tears. No eulogies.

The Campbells, however, decided on a traditional Viking funeral by the Mississippi River, lighting each body on fire and letting them float downstream on two small boats. Belle was glad they were doing things that way; no burial meant no grave. She loathed the thought of going to visit her dead siblings. By doing it that way, it wouldn't be an option.

She turned away from her reflection and walked toward the bed, arms extended to take Blade into them. Klaus met her halfway and slipped the infant carefully into her arms, prying away his tiny fist that was clenched onto the fabric of his shirt. For a newborn, Blade had quite the grip. Strong, like his parents.

"I just wanted to say goodbye before we go," she said, smiling at Blade, who smiled right back. For the son of two notoriously temperamental people he was unexpectedly cheerful. She hoped he hadn't inherited their tempers - especially Klaus'. "You're okay with taking him for the day right?" She glanced up at Klaus for a moment.

He nodded. "Of course. I'm sure Blade wouldn't mind a little family barbeque." He chuckled to himself, hopefully at how bad that joke was.

She rolled her eyes. "Ha ha. Daddy sure does think he's funny, huh?" She laughed and kissed Blade on the forehead. "You be good, okay? Mommy's gonna be home tonight, hopefully at least halfway sober." She intended to deal with the funeral the way all Campbell's dealt with most things: booze. And lots of it.

After planting a quick kiss on Blade's pale forehead, Belle handed him back to Klaus, and headed downstairs, trying all the while not to break down. She hadn't let herself cry since they had died, which was three days before. She'd save her tears for the funeral, but use them sparingly, like an expensive perfume that was running low. She hated crying.

Colton drove them - Audrey and Belle - out to the woods by the Mississippi, the bodies wrapped in cloth in the trunk. Cal had agreed to stay back - or rather, was too drunk to leave the bar - Rousseau's - that they had rented out for the evening. And they had all agreed to ban Claudia from attending, though she had promised to leave the city after the funerals were over. She was done trying to win them over.

It was late in the afternoon, and, since it was early December, the sun was setting, casting an orange glow over the land and water. The reflections of the skeleton trees danced on the water's surface. She studied them, and their emptiness. She wished she felt empty at that moment as the impending breakdown continued building inside her.

Colton and Audrey lifted the bodies out of the back of the SUV - Sabrina in Colton's arms and Max in Audrey's. Belle would've helped, but she couldn't find the strength, the will, to do so. It was like the life had been drained from her entire body, leaving her hallow, but aching.

The day before, Colton had brought out two rowboats and anchored them to the abandoned dock. It was small and secluded. Private. And so, they put the bodies down carefully in their respective wooden boats, like a mother putting her child to bed.

With what strength she could muster, Belle approached the two boats with trepidation, pulling her coat closer even though she wasn't cold.

She pulled back the edge of the cloth to see Max's face for the very last time; she hadn't seen his course or Sabrina's since the cemetery. His hair was as dark and curly as ever. His skin was cold to the touch as she brushed the hair out of his eyes. A part of her wished she could look into those eyes, the same shade of vibrant blue as hers, again, but she didn't want to see them without their light. They had always held a hint of mischief, even in his adulthood. He was always a child at heart.

Her knees threatening to give way below her, she stood up from her crouched position and moved to Sabrina, glancing back at Colton and Audrey for a moment. They were sitting on the dock, Audrey with her head in her hands, Colton twiddling his thumbs and biting his bottom lip.

Saying goodbye to her youngest sister was, in some ways, even harder than saying it to the brother with whom she had spent the past millennium. Sabrina was so innocent before everything, before vampirism, before vengeance. She was born with a pure heart, something that Belle had found to be rare over the course of her life. It was Belle's fault that her heart had turned to stone. It was Belle's fault that she was dead.

She pulled the sheet down enough to expose the stitching on Sabrina's neck; they had compelled a coroner to do it.

Her chocolate brown hair was dull, but still had it's natural curl, like Belle's hair. She thought back to all the times she had done Sabrina's hair for her when they were younger. Sabrina always wanted Belle to do things with her; they had been inseparable.

But when Sabrina got older, around eight years old, she became more and more independent; they all did.

This was when Belle had turned to someone else for company, for affection: Barron. He was her father's friend, just a few years younger than he was. Like her father, he was a good fighter - brave and strong and skilled. They would sneak off into the woods together and train in secret: swords, hand-on-hand combat, bows and arrows - the works. Eventually their secret training sessions evolved into more, much more, and Belle found herself falling for him. Two years later, at the age of fifteen, she got pregnant with Lilith. And that was the end of she and Barron. She lost everyone she loved that year, but gained someone who would love her for all of her short, precious life.

In a way, without Sabrina Lilith may not have ever been born. But Belle still couldn't forgive her. How could she? She was a murderer. She was the reason Lilith wasn't still with her. She had tried to kill her newborn son. People like that didn't deserve to live.

Because of everything she had done, Belle could no longer look at her as her quiet, chaste sister. She was just a monster that looked like her.

Belle got to her feet once again, trying to suppress the anger that mixed with the sadness, creating an utterly vile cocktail in her head and heart. She cleared her throat and ran a hand anxiously through her hair. "I think it's time."

Audrey and Colton stood and each got behind a boat, Audrey behind Sabrina's and Colton behind Max's. With shaking hands Belle pulled the book of matched from her pocket, trying not to drop it. Her nimble fingers trembled as she struck the first match and dropped it in Max's boat as Colton unanchored it and pushed it off into the river. She struck another, hands shaking less now, and lit Sabrina's as Audrey let it go, too.

Colton spoke first, eyes locked on the flames. "I never thought this day would come," he scoffed at himself, like he couldn't believe that was the first thing he could think of. "You know, being immortal you never think about it - about death. You just think that things will stay the same, that the people you know and love today will be there tomorrow, and the next day, and a hundred years from now, until the end of time, or whatever. But that's not true; I know that now. And, if I could, I'd take his place - I'd take either of their place." A sob broke through his trembling lips as tears fell from his eyes. He brought his hand up to wipe them away, but they kept coming. He turned his head to Audrey for a second, before looking back to the blazing boats as they slowly made their way down the river. "Audrey?" Another sob tore from his lips.

Audrey had always been strong, but when it came to crying she was softer than cotton. By that point she was already bawling, making it even harder for Belle to resist. "It, it's just. Hard. When you. Lose. Someone that you've. Known. Your whole life," she whimpered. Belle went to stand by her side, reaching up to put a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. "Shhh," she cooed, rubbing her back like she did for her when they were little.

Once Audrey calmed down a little she pulled away and wiped away the tears. "Belle, do you want to say anything?"

She took a deep breath and started to speak, but was distracted before she could get a single syllable out. A car door slammed nearby. Their heads jerked in its direction. Claudia stepped out of the driver's side and a surprisingly sober Cal stepped out of the passenger's. Claudia held up her hands in a sign of surrender.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded, eyeing Claudia skeptically, trying to rein in her anger so as not to spoil the mood.

"We just wanted to attend the funeral for two of our own children," Claudia said.

"I see you've already started without us," Cal slurred. Okay, so maybe he wasn't entirely sober.

Colton looked like he wanted to punch them both straight in the face. "I thought you promised not to come, mother. And dad, how'd you manage to get your drunk ass up off the floor?"

Audrey cleared her throat and crossed her arms over her chest loosely. "I think Belle was about to say something." She wiped away her tears and turned to Belle expectantly, her eyes begging her to speak to break the awkward silence that followed her words.

Her mouth hung open. Her eyes were wide. Her heart pounded like a that of a hummingbird. She was completely, utterly, unbelievably, speechless. Their eyes were all locked on hers as she anxiously looked from one face to another.

"I, I can't. I have to go." Without another word, she ran.

When she got back to the city she went to Rousseau's and locked all the doors. She just wanted to have some time alone to process her grief.

She sat down on the floor behind the bar with a bottle of bourbon in one hand and chased it down with some vodka that was in the other hand - a lethal combination.

The back door creaked open just as the liquor started numbing her emotions and putting her thoughts in a less tumultuous state. She didn't care enough to get up and see who it was, but she turned her head in its direction. To her shock and dismay, Claudia stepped out from behind the corner.

"Go away," she muttered, returning her attention to the half-empty bottle of bourbon in her hand.

Claudia came to stand beside her, leaning back against the bar before sliding down to sit beside her. "May I join you?"

She shrugged. "You're already here, aren't you?" She passed the vodka bottle in her right hand to Claudia. "Come to grieve?"

Claudia chuckled. "Something like that."

Belle raised a weary eyebrow and turned to face her.

"I just wanted to check on you," Claudia clarified.

An undeniable scoff slipped through Belle's closed lips. "Sure, sure. It's been a thousand years, but now is definitely the time to 'check on' me."

"Listen," her tone was suddenly serious. "I know I haven't exactly been the best mother, or even a decent one for that matter, but I'm trying."

"Really? You're 'trying'? I can't tell."

"Well I am." She took a deep breath and a long drink of the vodka; Belle could tell this was turning into a story. "My mother taught me that all a mother is responsible for is keeping her children alive and well. She never told me about everything else. Not how to be loving or considerate. I knew nothing of compassion growing up. And being forced to marry your father when I was just sixteen didn't help." She paused again and took another sip before sitting the bottle on the floor, keeping her hand on it and rubbing the label absentmindedly with her thumb.

"Is that why you hate us? Because of him?"

She scoffed and shook her head. "I don't hate you - any of you. I may hate your father, but I could never hate you. Despite your consistent denial of it, you are just like me. Well, mostly." A smile played at the corners of her lips as she took a sideways glance of her daughter's eyes. "You're a better mother than I could ever dream of being."

A smirk spread across Belle's face before she took another drink.

"So," Claudia said, turning to face Belle, giving her her full attention. "How are you coping? This," she raised her bottle for a second, "is only a temporary solution. Trust me, I know."

She sighed and shook her head, putting the bottle on the floor between her knees. "I honestly have no idea. I haven't mourned anyone since Lilith, and I'd rather not go back to that place. It's too dark, too hard to get out of. The thing is, I've always been the shoulder to cry on. I don't know how to let go, how to let it all in. I'm afraid if I do, it'll consume me." Her teary eyes locked with her mother's.

Claudia moved closer - slowly, hesitantly, like she was approaching a wild animal. "Well, I'm here, aren't I?"

Wearily, Belle put her head of her shoulder. Claudia reached up an stroke her hair gently. Belle knew how awkward they must have looked to anyone else - not that anyone would see them, but even if there were others there she wouldn't have cared either way.

Suddenly, the dam holding back a monsoon of tears burst, sending forth an uncontrollable wave of anguish. Belle moved closer to her mother, crying into her shoulder, hands gripping her back tightly as if to say, "don't let go".

In that moment, she set aside every awful memory she had ever had of her mother - every fight, every beating, every insult - gone. All was forgiven. She had decided that grudges were poison, and it was about time to rid herself of it. It was time for a new chapter in her story - a better one.


	40. Epilogue

**Song: Lauren Aquilina — _Sinners _**

* * *

Epilogue: Blade's 1st birthday 

"Today's the day, little man." Belle smile widely at her son as she lifted him out of his crib, planting a tender kiss on his forehead.

It was his first birthday, and she was determined to make it perfect, which wasn't easy. It's extremely difficult, some may even deem it impossible, to plan a party for someone who has no way of having their say. He hadn't even managed a "daddy" or a "mommy" in his 365 days of life. It wasn't uncommon for children - she knew this, but still it worried her. He had managed walking well enough, able to cross a room without too much help, but words seemed to be lost with him.

She turned to Klaus, who stood in the doorway, watching them with a grin stretched across his lips, showing his teeth - a rare sight, aside from when he bared his fangs. "He's getting bigger by the day."

She nodded. "Before we know it he'll be six feet tall and old enough to drink." She laughed at the thought. One of the hardest things, she believed, about being a parent was accepting that your child wouldn't always be a baby - small enough to hold in your arms with ease, always under your nose where you can keep them safe. She didn't think she'd ever be able to let him go.

"Is everything downstairs set up?"

He nodded. "You should go and get ready; I'll dress him." Klaus had embraced every aspect of fatherhood - with both Blade and Hope - that he had once been weary of. He changed diapers, did feedings, gave them baths, even read them bedtimes stories; Blade seemed particularly fond on Hemingway. She loved seeing that side of him. It was a glimpse into the past, a peek at the innocent boy he had been before vampirism had changed him and stolen his innocence.

With one last glance, she headed back to their room and got dressed. She chose a simple burgundy dress with three-quarter sleeves, black lace tights and short black boots.

As she ran a hand through her hair, too lazy to use a brush instead, she couldn't help but sigh at the sight of her bare hand — her left hand, her ring-less fourth finger. She hadn't thought much about the prospect of marriage since Baron, but ever since things got serious with Klaus she couldn't help but entertain the idea. It had been over a year since his insinuation of them one day marrying, but he hadn't acted on it. She'd even rummaged through his things a time or two, but had yet to find the little black box she sought.

She shook her head and lowered her hand, brushing off the idea. Today was not about her; it was about Blade and the celebration of his first year of life. She headed back to the nursery.

Klaus was fixing the little bowtie on Blade's little back tux; Klaus wore an identical one. She couldn't help but laugh at the utterly adorable sight, bringing her hand to try to cover her obnoxious grin. "Well, don't you two look handsome? A little too formal for an infant's birthday party, but handsome none the less." She stepped farther into the room, running a hand through the sandy mop of curls on Blade's head. He squealed loudly and reached out to grab her hand as if to say "no, mommy, stop; you're embarrassing me!"

She and Klaus laughed in unison, only making Blade laugh more. It was like a scene from a Hallmark movie, and she loved every millisecond of it.

Downstairs everything was set up. There were white and blue balloons assembled around a long table with a high chair at the head. Klaus compelled the city's finest pastry chef to bake two cakes: a little one for Blade and a bigger one for everyone else. Everyone was waiting at the table, dressed far nicer than they ought to be for a baby's birthday. She chuckled, assuming it was no longer "black tie optional". The only thing that was missing was the birthday boy and his parents.

A series of "awww"s and "adorable"s were whispered as they entered the dining room, Blade squirming fiercely in Belle's arms. He always enjoyed being around people, especially when he was the center of attention, and he usually was.

She sat him up in his high chair before taking her seat to his left, Klaus to his right. A little circular cake with white frosting and a "1" candle on top set just out of his grasp.

She looked out at everyone around the table: Elijah, Hayley, baby Hope, Audrey, Marcel, Rebekah, Kol — in his Original body, Colton, Ansel, Cal, Claudia. Two families joined together by nothing more than her and Klaus. It was beautiful.

She would never admit it aloud, but the thought nearly brought her to tears, almost as much as the thought of how empty the table looked without her favorite brother. He never got the meet Blade, his first and only nephew. She shook the thought from her head and focused on the positive: Blade.

Klaus pulled a lighter from his pocket and lit the candle. Everyone sang "Happy Birthday", struggling not to laugh at Blade's wide eyes as he stared at the flame that danced just out of his grasp. Belle leaned forward and blew out the candle and removed it, pushing the cake onto his tray where he immediately dug in, face and hands first. Everyone laughed and cheered as he covered at least fifty percent of his body with white and cerulean blue frosting and vanilla cake. His little tux was surely ruined; she was certain not even Elijah's best tailor could save it now.

She looked across the table at Klaus; he looked happier than he had in a long time as his eyes met hers. There was something in them that she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Once the cake was nothing more than crumbs everyone stood and went to the living room where they would open presents, a path of balloons leading the way as they hung from the lighting fixtures on the walls.

Belle and Klaus sat on the floor with Blade as they tore the wrapping paper off of each box, though he was far more interested in the ribbons and scraps of paper than he was in any of the toys.

Cal came to sit by her side in the wake of Blade's birthday destruction, holding a long, narrow box that was wrapped in plain brown paper and tied off with twine. "This is for you," he said.

She raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Open it and find out."

Carefully, she untied the bow of twine and pulled off the layers of paper, revealing something she hadn't seen for centuries. It was her sword, the little one he had given her when she was a child. It was just as she remembered: short, narrow, the crest of their viking clan on the grip. "Blade," she whispered, smiling to herself. "I can't believe you kept it for all these years."

She glanced over at Klaus who was crouched on the floor by Blade, looking at her with his brows knit together. "Wait, did you name our son after a sword?"

"I think the more important question is why did you name the sword Blade?" Marcel butted in. Audrey laughed, running her thumb over his knuckles as they held hands on the sofa. Needless to say, things between he and Rebekah hadn't worked out.

She scoffed, ignoring him."No, _you agreed_ to name our son after a sword. You just didn't know." She turned around and put it carefully down on the table behind her, out if the other Blade's reach.

Klaus rolled his eyes playfully and returned his attention to Blade.

"I was going to give it to you as a wedding gift, Cal continued. "But,"

"But I never got married," she added. Suddenly a tiny, dimpled hand was in her face, holding something small any shiny. Blade stood on his shaky little legs, smiling brightly at her. Her eyebrows knit together. He must've gotten ahold of one of her earrings again. "What do you have, baby? Here, let me see it." She pried open his hand, revealing the very thing she had wanted for months, years: a beautiful diamond ring. She took it from his hand, staring at it in awe as it set idly in her palm.

She looked up only to see Klaus down on one knee, just like she had always imagined. He looked unusually nervous, terrified in fact.

"Never say never," she heard Colton mutter, but her eyes stayed locked with Klaus'.

"I've wanted to do this for the longest time, perhaps even since the night I met you. I know we've put this off for centuries, and there are probably a thousand excuses between us as to why that it, but I'm done with excuses, I'm done with waiting. Belinda Campbell, I love you. I've always loved you. Will you do me the extraordinary honor of marrying me?" Despite his anxious expression, his words were confident, certain.

"Yes," she whispered, glancing down at the ring and back up to his eyes. Her lips turned up into a wide smile. "Yes," she said again, louder this time. She laughed aloud, like she couldn't believe it was finally happening.

Klaus smiled just as widely and took the ring from her palm, slipping onto the fourth finger on her left hand, where it would remain for all of eternity.

Everyone cheered and clapped, congratulating them. The noise that followed was so loud that she could barely hear it. _"Yes,"_ a small voice said. Her eyes widened. "What was that?" Klaus must've heard it too because he shushed everyone as she bent down and scooped Blade up into her arms. "What did you say?"

"Yes," he said, giggling and grinning from ear to ear. "Yes, yes, yes."

At last, after centuries of waiting, of suffering, she had finally gotten everything she had always wanted.


	41. Sequel!

**A.N. – I've just published a sequel for this story called "Saints"! Check it out if you want to see how Belle and Klaus' story will end. Thanks for the support!**


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